Paula Hardesty's Blog

Handmade Christmas

2011-12-28T15:26:00.007-05:00

I made a KALEIDOSCOPE. I have never made one before but was determined to make one for my sister-Lark. She has been talking about one for a while and I wanted to make her something special for christmas and so.....here it is. I found a book that showed me how to do the inside mirror. You have to use first surface mirror glass. Never made a name in wire before but it worked out. The end of the vial is full of beads and glycerin so it changes the image inside. So much fun.
Then I saw these on-line and thought...I can make those. Had to order everything on-line. This has been a 4 month endeavor because of my back. But I had to seal them twice - then paint the faces - then seal 2 more times. I only made like 42 of them. LOL. No seriously. I love them though and gifted them to my sis. I also have a gift of these for someone else special to me. Hope she doesn't read this before I get to her house. I gave my niece some with horse ribbons on them. They were fun.
And finally, I made some penguins ornaments out of felt. Just learned on Martha Stewart that here is BETTER felt out there called WOOL felt. So much nicer than what they sell around here. Gosh I miss Baer's Fabric.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and the New Year brings you exactly what you want whether it be health, money or family. Thanks to all my friends and students for a great year. I appreciate each and every one of you.

Now for my new favorite Christmas songs.....this one is so silly..click here. Along with the Polar Express Soundtrack. We all need some new sounds. Oh and don't forget that I want everything in the SANTA BABY song. And if you can't fit it under the tree - my back deck will work.

oh and WHERE IS THE SNOW....I love snow. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

2011-12-21T22:32:00.002-05:00

2011-12-21T22:28:00.001-05:00

gelatin printing

Organized?

2011-10-21T21:00:00.002-04:00

Tryin' to clean it up and get organized.....I need a month off work to get it all done.

Scissor obsession! I think so.

2011-10-21T20:58:00.002-04:00

WOULD you call it a scissor obsession. It was all because when Garden Ridge got rid of their craft department years ago the scissors were 1.00 each. Well I couldn't pass it up so I bought all kinds.

A Birthday PRESENT!!!

2011-10-08T14:56:00.006-04:00

So Taylor's best friend wanted a CREATIVE present. Well she came to the right household. We love to do anything creative. SO HERE IT IS HANNAH.

Happy Birthday!!!

HERE's a song just for you Hannah sweetie!!! press HERE!!

You are such a great friend to Taylor. I hope you have a WONDERFUL day!!! We love you! Thanks to the lady on YOUTUBE ...Lisa Shea who does a great job with instructions (goes slow enough so we could keep up) on how to make the money origami flowers and the butterfly we used. This was great fun for Taylor and I. HERE's a song just for you Hannah sweetie!!! press HERE!!

You have to go there.....

2011-08-17T20:31:00.002-04:00

Has anyone ever told you about....drum roll please..........StumbleUpon.com It is the most addictive surfing you will ever do. Go try it - you will NOT regret it. I promise. My Paige introduced me to it and we sat for hours the other day with it. Of course - it is fun with her new laptop.

THIS place has gone to the birds.....

2011-08-09T12:15:00.003-04:00

THIS crazy place has gone to the birds!!! No....literally.

Swim little fishy.....swim little fishy

2011-06-15T20:24:00.003-04:00

Of course Taterbug had to get in the act. She has the lips to make GREAT fish lips huh?

My sis was here for graduation and she stayed for 7 days. WE HAD A BLAST. I had to go back to work to get some rest. LOL. She has a new sewing machine and we had to venture to the quilt store. She doesn't have what we have here - Louisville has some great quilt stores. HERE IS WHAT WE MADE!!!!! AREN't THEY adorable. They are called Parlor Pets. The goldfish and there are 4 separate patterns.

My "baby" Paige. Where did the time go?

2011-06-15T20:21:00.005-04:00

And I can't go without showing you Paige when she was little along with tatertot. She was and still is a beautiful girl. My babygirl. She can never change that. I think all mommy's feel this way.

Paige BOUQUET's for graduation party.

2011-06-15T20:14:00.004-04:00

Now on to the fun part that Lark and I did. I had this crazy idea to not have real flowers at her graduation party but I would make paper ones that would last. So while laying in bed one night at midnight I thought up a Paige Bouquet with pictures of her in the center. Lark helped me get all 50 of them done-last minute of course. So hard to work 48 hours a week and do creative stuff do. I used green straws and a daffodil patter off of Martha Stewart's website. They were so much fun.

It happened and I can't believe it is over.....

2011-06-15T20:04:00.008-04:00

Above is Paige's invitations to graduation ceremony and beside it is the graduation party invites I made. She drew the bulldog puppy since that is her mascot from school and I made it into an explosion card. I must say - I loved it. But after making 35 of them - I don't want to make anymore explosion cards for a long long time. LOL.

It happened and I can't believe it is over. Paige Graduated from HIGH SCHOOL. Everything went by so so fast. Wish I could do it all over again. Although the heat about killed us along with total exhaustion - she was surrounded by everyone who LOVES her and were her friends. It was awesome. Even her very sick great aunt and a great uncle ventured out into the 95 degree heat to show her how much they love her and support her. 95 degrees the first of June was a record for us. But I wouldn't have traded it for all the fun and good time we had at Paige's Party. I just kept going in and out of the house. WE ALL worked so hard to transport all the food and smoke the bar-b-que. My husband, her DADDY worked so hard and I know Paige really appreciated it. She wrote us each a 2 page letter about her life and I cried like a baby. She also got to buy her dream with all the money she recieved.....a MACBOOK. She is in heaven.

DID YOU SEE IT? If not you missed it....

2011-04-23T23:22:00.003-04:00

I love all kinds of music. If it moves me then I fall in love with it. Well did you see on TV last night "Girls Night Out". It was female country stars - a salute to them. Well first of all I must say that Carrie Underwood...click here and go down to where you see her face and play that one....for the first time gave me goosebumps. I MEAN WOW. She was absolutely amazing. BUT....my all-time favorite of the night was Miranda Lambert and her new group called "Pistol Annie." I am in love with this song...click here.... ENJOY!!!!!

2011-04-22T19:19:00.004-04:00

THIS one if my favorite!!!! Love this look. SOOOOOooooooo Paige.

PROM - WOW it brings back memories. I think my Paige looks gorgeous. ENJOY!!!

Last weekend at Artiscape - IN THE HOTEL ROOM we dyed her hair. She wanted it darker with a little red so we found a color and tried it and it is beautiful on her. Of course - everything is beautiful on Paige. The weather didn't cooperate - it rained and poured. So the clouds were moving above and it was changing my lighting. I got a few favorites ...I mean I only took 150 of them. I just can NOT help myself. I love photography.

2011-03-26T18:43:00.001-04:00

WHAT IS YOUR most favorite images to use under glass? Any suggestions? WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM ALL OF YOU. THANKS for viewing.

2011-03-26T18:35:00.003-04:00

ISN'T she CUTE. I am going to make Paige's invitations for graduation so I asked her to draw a bulldog. It's her high school mascot. She is adorable. The girl can draw ANYTHING. I'm so jealous. I think she will have to black pen her so she will show up better when I copy her.

2011-03-20T16:37:00.004-04:00

Yo-YO....It's yo-yo time. When Lark came to visit the first of March she bought a kit called Yo-Yo Monkey. She did the actual kit - it was browns, golds and greens. Well I can't make anything BROWN. I need a COLOR. I combed through my stash of fabrics that I have been collecting for about five years. All my favorite colors. So I finally finished the yo-yo part of it - 16 large and 104 baby yo-yo's. YES I SAID 104. Whoooooo I'm tired. Thank goodness for the clover yo-yo maker or I would have hated every step of it. What a great invention. Now onto making the head and tail. OMG this is going to take me a while because I don't know how to sew really. I'm not a good pattern person. I SO WISH I KNEW SOMEONE WHO SEWED. More later when I actually finish it. I don't get much done in a hurry because I have to go to WORK. UGH!!! AND Artiscape is coming up really fast. So I need to prepare kits. LOVE Artiscape. It is a great Art Retreat and put on by the best organizer in the world - Lisa Ohmer of European Papers. I have a sold out class to teach and can't wait to spend one-on-one time with Paige. It will be bittersweet because Mike Meador won't be there. Now I'm gonna cry.

2011-02-07T16:11:00.007-05:00

Debby Rollins hard at work - you go girl!!!

Sorry Dot - picture is a little dark.

Debi Wind showing off her goodies.

And the lovely Donna Bryant showing off her birdies.

The skilled Connie Newbanks who really didn't need me, but we had fun all day.

Well I had a wonderful day with the girls from KCG. It was so great to see everyone. I asked Paige what she thought of class and she said "it was so different - it was a warm atmosphere because everybody knew everybody. It was so laid back." I think what she said was perfect. A warm atmosphere. Since Paige has been with me for over 10 classes she should know. She is an awesome helper. Everyone walked away with 3-6 finished pieces on Saturday and they really did a good job. So proud of them. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME!!!!! It was fun!!!

Paige took some pictures so I am posting them. I HOPE nobody gets offended or their feelings hurt if she didn't get everybody. A couple of them were very blurry.

2011-01-29T15:10:00.004-05:00

TEACHING next Saturday and I am so excited. I MISS teaching so much, but my job has gotten in my way. Things you have to do in order to have HEALTH insurance. Ya know.....kinda sucks but I am so thankful for my job - especially in this recession. Can't wait to spend the WHOLE ENTIRE DAY with all my friends!!!!!!!!!! I miss them so much I want to cry. BUT things will get better - I have to BELIEVE!!!!

2011-01-14T20:59:00.002-05:00

I went to see my Niece for her birthday last weekend and I made her presents. One was this plaque at the top. That is her cat "Sydney". She loves horse so I used my horse stamp that I love and made her wrapping paper. We had a great time in West Virginia.

2010-12-25T16:01:00.003-05:00

MERRY Christmas and a HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of you. I hope that you are all well. Have to share with you this hydrangea bloom with our new fallen snow on it. Nothing sweeter than waking up to a White Christmas in KENTUCKY. It has been 8 years since we have had a white christmas. LOVE it.

2010-11-19T19:51:00.002-05:00

Well I found a website that you all probably know about called Picasa.com. That allowed me to put Paige's name on her wallets and we got them today. They are so cool with her name on them and look like they came from a professional photographer without spending $500.00. She didn't want the grad year on them - she said that was old school.

2010-11-16T16:52:00.000-05:00

Learning about different applications like Pacasa to put some cool effects on Paige's pictures. I love the name on it. Should I put 2011 or not? That is the question....What is in style these days???

2010-11-14T21:48:00.004-05:00

Oh my I'm tired. I took Paige's senior pictures today. It was fun. I LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY. It helps too when you have a beautiful subject. I know I'm prejudice. She got tired on me. We only took 299 pictures. What is wrong with that girl. Can't believe she is graduating - I am going to cry now......

Happy Halloween!!!

2010-10-31T14:32:00.003-04:00

Happy Halloween everyone!!!

I hope you all have a goulish time. This is a piece I made last year for Halloween.

It's painted on wood.

My BEZELS are finished.

2010-09-12T20:00:00.004-04:00

Well I LOVE THEM. I patina'd them and then poured my resin tonight. So now they are asleep under a box top and I will awaken them when I get home from work tomorrow. Not sure if I put enough in to DOME the resin - I was afraid it would run out and I didn't want a big mess. Well I am excited to make more - sometime. I have to get my classes together for Autumn Artiscape in 2 weeks.

Do you want to make these Bezels??? Well check out Deryn Mentock's or Sharon Tomlinson's blog and they will direct you there.

A Really FUN workshop On-line!

2010-09-07T20:24:00.005-04:00

A really great on-line class with Deryn Mentock and Sharon Tomlinson called "Of Towers & Turrets." We first did painting with Sharon and now I am learning more about metal and especially bezels. I can't wait to soldering them and FILL them with resin. That is next week though. I am not very good with rivets yet so I need to practice. I know though that my soldering experience has helped me though. I will get a picture up of my painting later.

ART UNRAVELED......held in an OVEN. LOL

2010-08-15T13:32:00.007-04:00

Well I am back from AU. The talent that this retreats holds is amazing. The teachers AND the students. Thank you to ALL my students for signing up for class. My classes went GREAT and from the response from students I think they were all happy. At least I hope everyone enjoyed their time in my classes.

As far as PHOENIX goes....well let me just say I need color in my life other than brown. IT WAS like we were walking around ON FIRE. One day it was 112 degrees. OMG right? Would never want to live there because of the heat. Well I am from Kentucky and will stay. I was thinking that we were there during their WINTER season really. Everything ugly and dead. But the people were very nice and their was PLENTY of shopping to do. Went to Sedona one day...what a difference in temperature. Wow.

I took the Glass Journal class from Thomas Ashman. My sister and I were very excited to actually be taking a class. When you teach you don't get to take many classes and I was long overdue. We really enjoyed our day and came away with an awesome book. Here are some pictures for you. I am ready to make more. The construction was mind boggling. How this man came up with this binding is mind boggling to me. The only thing I would have changed is I wish I would have had paste papers for the inside of my book.

Look what the mailman brought me.....

2010-08-14T21:24:00.004-04:00

BIRTHDAY PRESENT!!!! Birthday Present!!!! Before I left for Art Unraveled the mailman brought me an absolutely beautiful handmade book. (I have just now found the time to pay my respects.) MADE by the one and only Pat Pleacher. Pat was my first book teacher. She is awesome....go see for yourself here. I LOVE MY BOOK - just love it. After you see it you will understand why. Oh by the way....I love to fish and all my girlfriends know it. So that is why it has that theme. THANK YOU PAT - U ROC girl. You also made me cry alligator happy tears.

Oh Marie Marie where shall we go?

2010-07-28T23:00:00.006-04:00

Marie A. ----It's time to FLY!!! On an airplane that is....to PHOENIX that is for Art Unraveled (click here) (AU is what the veterans call it). I hope she will like it in my carry on bag. It will be dark in there, but I think she is use to that by now. Oh My - did I just say that. She was such a joy to make tonight. Now on to make some more. WHO needs sleep? Not me.....I'm a soldering machine. That's what happens when you sleep in to 11 am. You can't go to sleep at night. DUH!!! This is a fabulous image from Land of Enchantment on Etsy. She has wonderful images and is allowing me to bring some for my students to play with at AU. Thanks girlfriend!!! Hope I did her justice. I got kinda carried away with the wire embellishments! HA!

It's MY BIRTHDAY - AGAIN......where did the year go?

2010-07-08T20:31:00.004-04:00

Below is the center of the card that POPS open - isn't she fabulous.

I can't believe it has been a year. A whole year. Where did the time go. IT FLEW BY. BUT.....I can always count on my friends to help me through these birthdays that I hate so much. But thanks to my many friends on facebook wishing me happy birthday to my best friend and family calling and singing to me on the phone to getting beautiful ART from my great friend Ms. Gaye. IT IS a wonderful card/book (above) - all about little ole me. It is made of her paste papers and she is the QUEEN of stamping. She is so clever and the best book/card maker I have ever known. Tomorrow night.....drum roll please...... CAKE!!!!!!

2010-07-01T16:34:00.004-04:00

ONE....uno....une... month from now I will be in Arizona. I am excited and nervous. I'm not happy with planes. Soooo......I will just have to pay attention to my daughters, my sister, my mom and my niece. That will be enough of a distraction don't you think? They are all going with me and we are all looking forward to this trip. Not only about me teaching but also about the festivities. Fa la la la laaaa la la la la. It's also about me being with my sister and niece that I haven't seen in two years. SEEMS like forever. After I teach early in the week we are taking a class on Friday called Glass Journal. Totally psyched about that one.

To see more about Art Unraveled - click here! Also the shopping extravaganza on Saturday - WOW - I am so stoked about that too. Now the decision comes do I mail all my supplies or take them on the plane. Nervous about that one too. Since there are so many of us going we will have plenty of suitcases cuz Southwest lets you have 2 - yes 2 at no charge. Another good thing - it is a STRAIGHT FLIGHT. So there won't be the chance of them losing them - just need to make sure we get there early enough so the luggage gets on the plane. Ya know. Do I sound NERRRRVVVVOOOOUUUUSSSSS - well yes I am. I think I need a drink. HA!

Hydrangea time!

2010-06-20T20:06:00.002-04:00

Here is my Hydrangea bush that is huge. It is a nikko blue - but it has all the colors. I LOVE HIM. I think it loves where it is located - what do you think. I am showing you the hideous air conditioning unit so you can see how BIG my bush is. Oh that didn't sound right. oops!

DID YOU GO AND EXPERIENCE IT???

2010-06-16T22:31:00.002-04:00

I have to say again - that the lighting bugs are out of sight. They are simply amazing. Even my oldest daughter said she has never seen them like this before. I wish someone would explain it to me. Also the crescent moon (or at least I think it is a crescent???) is beautiful tonight along with the big dipper. What truly amazes me is how even YOU can see it wherever you are. My sister who is in Cape Cod can see it. That suck freaks me out. OKAY - DID YOU GO EXPERIENCE THIS WONDERFUL PART OF OUR WORLD???

LightNing Bugs Oh MY!!!

2010-06-04T22:37:00.004-04:00

I DARE you to go outside tonight around 10pm here in Kentucky in your backyard and just sit and watch. The LIGHTNING BUGS are out of this world. I have never seen this many. I don't know if it is the rain or how the weather has been going but they are just OUT OF THIS WORLD. Never thought I would feel that way about a lightning bug. But I think I am in love. They are so magnificent if you really think about how they beam that light. There were tons of them outside tonight and we just sat and watched and it was like a strobe light audition. Some people call them fireflies. I have always called them Lightnin' bugs. When I was little we caught them every night and put them in a jar and it would GLOW. So coooool.

TRY IT one night = I dare you!!!! Let me know how it goes. Mother Nature is a beautiful thing. ENJOY!!!! Click HERE to enjoy a warm-up.

WICKED

2010-05-22T12:03:00.009-04:00

HAVE YOU SEEN IT? What an amazing show and I wasn't expecting funny - but it really was very funny. Paige and I went this past week. Part of my Mother's Day gift. How sweet of my little sweet girl. If you ever have a chance to go see it - YOU WON'T regret it. It is truly entertaining and the music is out of this world. Of course, Paige had the soundtrack before we went so we have been listening to it - my favorite song is "Defying Gravity." I think the cast touring now are way better than the soundtrack though. go here and sneak a peak WICKED the musical. Donna Vivino (as Elphaba-green witch) and her singing "Defying Gravity" , but I couldn't find anything for Chandra Lee Schwartz (Glinda).

Pretty in Pink

2010-05-14T13:38:00.005-04:00

Loooook at the eyes on this fly/bee whatever it is. So cool. Don't you just love macro on your camera?
What a nice little fly/bee or whatever he is to land on my rose at a perfect time. Makes it so much more interesting huh?

PRETTY in Pink!!! and when you stand next to them the smell is amazing. Their beauty makes you realize how wonderful mother nature is. How something so small can make you feel so good. I just had to share their beauty. Thanks Pop for my roses. (He doesn't even have a computer but I have to thank him everytime I enjoy them.)

Fresh from the flower garden!!!

2010-05-13T13:08:00.007-04:00

The knockout roses in my backyard are going crazy. I also have 2 light pink rose bushes. All of these were graciously given to me by my step dad who slips roses and each year has about 100 of them. He shares!!! Like that man a lot. He has a big heart. I thought they would make a perfect background for my art. No photoshop here - just holding the pendant over the rose and SNAP a picture is made. This one will is up in my ETSY shop along with a couple of others.

The Kentucky Derby has come and gone.

2010-05-09T18:13:00.003-04:00

Sad that the time is just FLYING BY. Can't believe it. But I did have to share a Derby Hat with you. WOW huh? The architecture is so wonderful. The best thing about Derby around my house is the DERBY PIE that we make - oh yummy yummy. Might as well just slap it on my thighs.

Great place to buy and see the COOOLest art and materials!!!

2010-04-30T22:46:00.003-04:00

If you are looking for some of the coolest stuff to buy to make your art. You have to go over to Small Studio Productions ran by Ginny Carter and her hubby. (Look to the right for the site - I am still learning how to add it here.) They are also putting on some wonderful workshops this year if you are interested. I really really really want to go in November to play and take Lynn Perella's classes. But any of the workshops would be great - they are the coolest.

What I got at Artiscape/Ohio.

2010-04-23T14:39:00.004-04:00

I saw over on Pat Pleacher's blog...Art Kerfuffle that she took a picture of what Gaye brought her back from Artiscape so I thought I would take a picture of what I got/bought.

I am into birds right now. I love everything that is birds. Marianna Larew from Warren, Ohio, of vintagearabesque.blogspot.com gave me a wonderful collage pack you see here on the left. I stopped by Stamp Your Art Out in Ohio on the way back and got the Tim Holtz mask letters and the 1 inch stamps. I got the stencil and the fantastic shoe size tags from Mike and Chris Meador of Coffee Break Designs. The little silver heart is from Carol Kimbal who teaches silver clay at Artiscape. Love everything that I bought. It was plenty for me. That is my new philosophy - I have to be in love with it to buy it because otherwise I buy wayyyyyyy tooooo much and never have time to use it. I didn't spend a ton either.

Artiscape comes to an end.

2010-04-19T19:43:00.007-04:00

Below are the cutest flip flops in the world. Aren't they just adorable. Thanks Beth for making them so fast - we loved wearing them. She is so talented.

These were of course bumper stickers and the car was from California. I loved them all - thought you might enjoy a laugh too.

I can't believe it is over. That Artiscape has come and gone so quickly. It is such a well organized event. I had a good time and I want to thank my assistant "Vanna" for all her hard work. Thanks baby girl. Also a big THANK YOU TO all my students and friends who signed up for my classes. You sure know how to make a teacher/friend feel good. You are all so talented it was a pleasure being with you this past weekend. Here are a few pics from the weekend of fun. Now I need a week of napping and a call to the doctor for some silvadeen for my burn on my arm. Remember - don't lay your wrist on the soldering iron - it will burn the tar out of you.

SOLD OUT Classes at Artiscape next week.

2010-04-06T20:49:00.004-04:00

I am excited that both my classes sold out at Artiscape. Thanks to everyone who signed up. We are going to have so much fun.

2010-03-10T22:20:00.002-05:00

Have you all seen "Alice in Wonderland"....well we did. My oldest wanted to go for her birthday. But she had to draw her favorite guy who is plastered all over her room...yes...Johnny Depp. I think she did a pretty good job. Don't you. She can draw - I am still trying. It was a good movie. Totally a Tim Burton take on it though.

2010-02-19T12:41:00.003-05:00

AND the bottle cap - so darn cute!!! If you know Jennifer - you know that bottle caps are her favorites. It was wrapped in this cool fabric.

2010-02-19T12:22:00.007-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS to ME!!! Yes I know we are way past Christmas but how great to keep on getting gifts. So much fun this way. Well my beautiful friend Jennifer who lives in Alaska now made me this absolutely to die for METAL - yes I said METAL book. The etchings is me all over. It is a thick metal at least 1/16" of an inch. AND are you wondering about the FISH? Well Jennifer knows me well - I love to fish. Thank you Jennifer for my yummy book!!! There isn't anything better to an artist than to have artist friends. Cause you get such wonderful presents - HANDMADE... that nobody else has. Think about that....nobody in the world has this book - EXCEPT little ole me. I'm so fortunate.

2010-02-07T20:23:00.004-05:00

What is coming in APRIL?????? Artiscape 2010. Artiscape is in Columbus, Ohio, and Lisa Ohmer always puts on an incredibly organized event. I mean WOW. Go check out Artiscape and European Papers (who puts on this wonderful event).

2010-02-07T20:11:00.003-05:00

Aren't they just dreamy!!!! Or should I say - metally. I love presents. My great friend Gaye Medbury - the most awesome book maker and teacher made me this fab little beauty. The closure is to die for. Thanks Gaye for my most wonderful present!!!! Mine is the top and the bottom three are all the ones she made. They are copper metal with coptic stitching.

It's a CATS life.

2010-01-24T22:08:00.003-05:00

It's a CATS life. Wish it was mine. I always wanted to be a dancer. How cool it would have been to dance in a company. I took my oldest daughter today to see -CATS the musical -for her birthday. It was a lot of fun. She loved it. It is our 2nd time seeing it together. HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAIGE!!!

2010-01-24T22:07:00.000-05:00

WOULD SOMEBODY PLEASE TELL THAT GIRL PAULA TO POST SOMETHING NEW!!! NO EXCUSES!!!!!

2009-12-24T13:24:00.003-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!! May God Bless each and every one of you!

2009-12-12T22:33:00.003-05:00

GOT a NEW SPACE. My honey bunny had these extra cabinets and countertops that I asked him to save for me. Now that we had enough pieces - they have a new home. (great having a husband who owns the company and gets this stuff for FREEEEEEeeeee-wrong color for a kitchen and the counter top was too short - well NOT FOR ME). I am thinking metal home, but it might turn out to be something totally different. When I feel a little better I will organize. It only took him 30 minutes to put them in - of course he does it everyday for a living. SPEAK to me cabinets and countertop - what would you like to be? A new metal home? A paint home? hmmmmmmmmmm.....I'm waiting......

2009-11-17T18:12:00.003-05:00

It's BACKGROUND time. These are so much fun. I am loving some creative time - FINALLY. I am trying to figure out my job and home and family. Trying to juggle all the balls in the air is so hard for a working mom...wife...sister....daughter....aunt....granddaughter....baby photographer....unit secretary/pca....friend. I am trying to SAVE my SANITY.

Lisa ENGELBRECHT CAME TO KENTUCKY to TEACH!!!!

2009-10-19T18:24:00.003-04:00

Someone asked me at the workshop if I had quit blogging. I said no laughingly because I just haven't been able to find the time. Well here are some photos of the workshop with Lisa. She is such a sweet and generous teacher. It was lovely to have her here. Leslie McCarthy was such a wonderful host for us and graciously gave us the space and housed Lisa to help keep our costs down. Leslie OWNS Making Ends Meet in Shelbyville - an absolutely wonderful fabric store and her new little store across the street called Making Ends Meet Again has some great finds. Leslie you rock girl!!! I can't wait to have to some time to finish my piece. Also, thank the lord for Connie Newbanks who tutored me a little in calligraphy in the class. You rock too girl!!!

I made these name tags for each of us - they are sewn and were fun to make. I think everyone enjoyed them.

Mom's Birthday

2009-09-13T20:41:00.004-04:00

It was my mom's birthday. So I thought I would take her picture that she painted and scan it in - print it out on fabric and make her a bag and a handmade birthday card. I think she really liked it. She is hard to judge.

2009-08-18T14:17:00.002-04:00

My MOMMA painted this "spirit horse" as she calls it. I just love it. I think she did a fabulous job.

2009-08-09T17:26:00.002-04:00

I have some really terrific friends. Below are the great pieces I got for my birthday. Needless to say it was an awesome birthday. I am so thankful for my friends. GAYE made this goddess for me. Her imagination just makes me a believer in yard sales. She was first a wooden amish woman (not Gaye but the base of this piece) and now she is a true flying goddess. She even painted the face. You go girl. It was an absolutely PERFECT day for me. Thank you FRIENDS for making my birthday extra extra special this year. Everybody wants to feel special. Gaye even BAKED me a cake.

2009-08-09T17:21:00.002-04:00

Jennifer made me this totally FAB bracelet AND the beautiful pouch that you see here too. So talented. It is great to have ARTSY friends.

2009-08-09T17:17:00.003-04:00

Pat Pleacher made this really sweet book for me. Thanks Pat - I love it!!!!

So it's my birthday - it's my birthday!!!! Whooohoo

2009-07-17T17:30:00.002-04:00

Everyone should have a sister like mine!!!!! She gave me a COACH purse for my birthday. OH WOW. I was so shocked and of course I cried. That was just the start of the wonderful surprises.

Why Not a Pencil Case

2009-06-21T18:40:00.003-04:00

It is just so much fun to be able to put in a zipper. Now I want to make different shapes. Here is a pencil case. I was also thinking it could be an eyeglass case - but it is a little thin for that. Now I want a little square one. Then maybe one with a rounded top. Ummmm........

Look what SHE did!!!!

2009-06-18T20:04:00.004-04:00

I went to my great friend Gaye Medbury's house today and taught her how to make a purse. Well put in the zipper I should say. This is the front and back of her "Mosaic Art Purse." (I just thought up that name - now I need a nap.) LOL Isn't it the coolest!!!! Now I have to do a numbers one "Just Like Gaye" and then a total WORD one. I hope I don't have to work Saturday - my supposedly day off - then I can make some MORE MORE MORE. I'm so glad SHE got a manicure. Beautiful.

Yes I am addicted to these mosaics

2009-06-17T21:05:00.002-04:00

These are so much fun. Tonight I finished 2 of them. I cut out too many pieces last night laying in bed watching TV. So I figured I could hammer out 2. I was going to make another purse - but now I am exhausted. I have to go to work tomorrow so I am going to watch SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE - my favorite show right now and go to bed. Tomorrow after work though I am going to Gaye's to show her how to put in a zipper. Pass on the knowledge. She does it for me. Share share share. Then we all become better!!!!

I JUST HAD TO DO IT!!!!

2009-06-15T18:57:00.003-04:00

I just had to do it. I had to make a little bag out of the mosaic. So I printed onto the Jacquard Cotton Fabric Sheet. I did heat set it - don't know if I have to do that but I thought - it can't hurt. Then I made this little bag with a zipper. I am still learning. I think after 8 bags I FINALLY got the zipper installation down. I JUST LOVE HER!!!!!! I think I need a manicure. LOL.

Mondays are G R E A T !!!!!!

2009-06-15T18:45:00.002-04:00

Today my great friend Gaye and I made a mosaic sheet. I was trying to think what is should be named and I think Mosaic sheet is correct. Anyway - it was a lot of fun and now I want to make more more more!!!! Maybe I won't sleep tonight! LOL.

Chirp Chirp little Birdies

2009-06-08T15:44:00.003-04:00

The Belle Armoire Magazine had these great little birds featured. So as a fun project Gaye and I made them today. I learned how to hammer a rivet with my cool new hammer. I need practice. Of course Gaye's is perfect. We put them together using tiny eyelets and washers from Coffee Break Design. Mike and Chris have the coolest stuff. Mine is the blue one. Oh and Gaye found this cool copper garland at a yard sale and gave me some today. We thought the birds needed to be on some kind of backing. Serendipity the garland was perfect for it. The copper birdhouse behind the birds is one we cut off the garland. I'll tell you what though - Gaye sure knows how to look at things in a different light. I am learning from her. It isn't a garland it is a birdhouse for our birds. Love her!!!! She is the yard sale QUEEN.

2009-06-07T15:28:00.001-04:00

I love putting the wirework on my soldered pieces!

Fabric Beads

2009-06-03T17:08:00.002-04:00

What fun we had. Last night at our guild meeting we made fabric beads. These beads have been around for a long time. I had to put sparklies on mine. Just can't help myself. Did I mention how much fun there were. I hope to make more this weekend when I don't have to work.

FAMOUS Again!!!!

2009-06-01T15:18:00.002-04:00

My GREAT friend Gaye Medbury has now been published twice this year. I think she is on a roll. You have to check out Cloth, Paper, Scissors STUDIO - her studio is the best one in there. I know Tim might have more stuff - but hers is just down right the "COOLEST". I have spent a lot of time in that studio and I love every minute of it being surrounded by the most wonderful creations. The other publication is a book that is also just wonderful.

PRESENTS!!!!

2009-05-29T20:03:00.003-04:00

My sister should be getting her box today and I am so excited and waiting for her to call me. I thought I would give you guys a look at what I made for her. She had said she would love to have a bird fairy after seeing the ones I had made. I bought two from Paula Best and then decided I could make some more on my own so I could have a collection on my wall. I made this one for Lark - of course - Nurse themed. The necklace circle '09 Grad I made from PMC3 clay. I bought the charm. I wish I was that talented to make the charm. CALLL ME LARKIE POO!!!!! I can't wait for you to open it!!!!!!!

They are growing so FAST!!!

2009-05-27T17:18:00.003-04:00

All three of the baby birds can't fit in the nest. See - that's what happens when you eat when you are bored. LOL.

Fly away butterflies!

2009-05-26T19:53:00.002-04:00

My daughter and I made these cupcakes for her teachers. Teacher appreciation!!! My sister sent me this wonderful book called "Hello Cupcake." The cupcakes in there are so fantastic. I wish I had the energy to make every one of them. Next time you go to a bookstore - find it and look through it. The author encourages you to use the icing in the can at the grocery store. Love that. No guilt of not making it from scratch.

Springtime!!!

2009-05-23T22:14:00.004-04:00

We have a crazy Robin that doesn't know where to build a nest. Every year she puts it somewhere in a low tree or on my deck and either the cats get the nest or a mean BlueJay. Well she insisted on putting her nest in a small spruce tree beside my house. It is only 4 feet off the ground and there is a white cat that we keep running off and we have even let the dog out to chase the cat away. But I did take a picture of the baby birds - I couldn't resist. It just proves that spring is really here. I think I have been in denial about it being the end of May because my baby - who is 11 is going to graduate 5th grade and go into middle school. That really has me a mess. I don't want her to grow up so fast. Like the baby birds - they are growing so fast in that nest and in a week they will be too big to be in there - they will have to leave home. They just sit the whole time with their mouths open - hungry all the time. Or maybe they are just bored. I can hear them saying as I listen very closely "Am I eating because I'm hungry or because I'm bored. This nest is so boring and my brother and sister are taking up all the room."

SHE DID IT!!!!

2009-05-15T14:12:00.010-04:00

My little sister Lark (short black hair in picture above) who is also my best friend - PASSED her Nursing Finals yesterday. Lark lives in Cape Cod, MA. She is such a caring and giving woman that she will be a GREAT nurse. I am so proud of her I could just burst. I want to run through the streets, have a plane with a huge banner flying being hit through the air and tell everyone that MY SISTER PASSED HER FINALS - she did IT!!!! (Although I knew she would.) She was a nervous wreck over the final and now she feels like 3,000 pounds have been lifted off her shoulders (and mine too cause I feel everything she goes through because we are so close). YOU GO GIRL, baby sister Lark. I am so PROUD OF YOU!!!! It breaks my heart that I can't be with her on graduation day, but I will be there in spirit screaming and whoooohoooing for her.

Collage

2009-05-11T17:37:00.002-04:00

I made this collage for demo night at Artiscape. It is of one of my GREAT friends Gaye Medbury. Ain't she cute. All the things that make up Gaye - except her big heart. I should have added that to it. This is actually her when she was a little girl. Love it - and her!!!

On ETSY

2009-05-09T09:16:00.003-04:00

"Red" is on Etsy as a pendant. She is titled "Peace" on there. So appropriate for what is going on in our world today. I am still learning how to get my link connected to her. Hard being a newbie to blogging. But if you click on the Etsy link to the right - then type in paulahardesty as all one word and you have to change the left to Sellers - then she will come up. I am working on more pieces today to get up on Etsy. check back soon!

RED

2009-05-08T17:34:00.003-04:00

Meet "Red" - she was so much fun to paint. DJ Pettitt came to Kentucky last year and taught our group how to paint faces. We had so much fun. So I ventured out on my own - drew my own face and body - created the background using mostly Golden's Fluid Acrylic paints.

A baby elephant named "Scotty"

2009-05-04T18:37:00.003-04:00

My mom has started to find a passion in watercolor painting. I have been trying to get her into something for a while now. I want her to be as obsessed and passionate about creating as I am. This is a picture of our baby elephant here at the Louisville Zoo. He is 2 years old now and his name is Scotty. I am impressed with her first pieces. I sure couldn't draw like that.

Kentucky DERBY today!!!

2009-05-02T14:56:00.002-04:00

It is time again for the Derby. I LOVE seeing all the hats and think to myself - I could make that one. Wouldn't that be fun - make your own hat and go to the derby, but only if I can be on Millionaire's Row. This reminds me of Coco Chanel.

More from Columbus, Ohio-Artiscape

2009-05-01T22:52:00.003-04:00

Artiscape

2009-05-01T22:50:00.003-04:00

I just hate that April is over and I just started my blog and now it looks like I have nothing on May. I wanted to share though some more pictures of beautiful Columbus, Ohio. Where Artiscape is held. Also - this was the bus in the parking lot of our hotel. Very cool!

More from My Class "Fearless Collage" that I teach.

2009-05-01T22:27:00.003-04:00

My Class called "Fearless Collage"

2009-05-01T22:17:00.003-04:00

Here are some pictures of a class I teach called "Fearless Collage".

Artisan Fair

2009-04-30T15:17:00.002-04:00

A few of my items for sale at the Artisan Fair and also will be on etsy soon.

2009-04-30T15:13:00.003-04:00

Paige and I in the back of Gaye's car on the way to a bead store. Here is a picture of Gaye - just ignore the sign - they put the "e" in the wrong place.

My set up for Artiscape

2009-04-30T15:11:00.002-04:00

*my booth at the Artisan Fair on Sunday

Back from Artiscape

2009-04-30T15:03:00.004-04:00

Artiscape was a busy 4 days. I taught 3 classes (soldering was sold out), demoed Friday night at the opening gala party (above picture is what I demoed) and then sold at the Artisan Fair on Sunday. I took my assistant aka my daughter Paige with me and we had a good time being together. Just mom and daughter. Paige is a huge help and all my students comment on how sweet she is all the time. Artiscape is in Columbus, Ohio and is ran by the very detailed lady who owns European Papers there in Columbus - Mrs. Lisa Ohmer. She sure knows how to put it all together!

Can't believe I am doing this!!

2009-04-29T17:35:00.003-04:00

Well I have thought long and hard about this (almost 2 years) and my great friend Pat Pleacher from www.artkerfuffle.blogspot.com did it - so I am too. I hope to post often and not STRESS about it. Just have some fun and share. Just take each day as it comes. That sounds like a plan huh? Does to me so let's get with it.