Blue Mounds birches

This is a lovely unglaciated area, especially with the Blue Mounds in the background...It's near - what else - the village of Blue Mounds, Wisconsin.

Mount Horeb Opera House sketch drawing painting

I just realized I have several sketches and paintings from this area; thought I'd post a few...Here's the Opera House in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin.

Copic markers - I've been certified again!

I took a very fun and educational class from Copic certified instructor Debbie Olson in the Chicago area and came away with more information about how to use these fantastic markers, plus a certificate of intermediacy, how cool is that?!

I've been certified!

I'm on the first rung of the Copic ladder. I attended a daylong workshop with super Copic instructor Lori Craig. I already knew from trial and error that Copic markers were the best, and now I have a better idea why. They're tremendously versatile and can be used in many ways - on paper, combined with other media, on metal, on fabric, and they can be worked in a number of ways to create a variety of effects. I celebrated this certification by buying three blending sets in green to add to my growing collection. There are over 300 colors - and none are ever retired, and more colors are added every year. I'll post some images soon.

It's not a blog...it's a GALAXY!

I'm posting in my galaxy!  I won a contest announced by Cloth Paper Scissors editor Cherie Haas to find a better name for the unlovely word "blog."  I always thought the word "blog" sounded like the noise your stomach made when you were feeling really rancid, so I agreed with Cherie that a better name is called for.

 The word "blog" started life as a shortening of what it is - a web log - so at first I thought maybe "webbie" or even "webster" would be a better name.  Then I thought maybe it should be much broader, because a person's web log does reach near and far, and someday maybe very far, so I submitted "Galaxy."

I liked it, and Cherie did, too, so I won a wonderful, wonderful assortment of mixed media supplies from Cloth Paper Scissors.  I'm trying them out bit by bit, and so far I really love those Fiskars mixed-media scissors that cut through chipboard, canvas, plastic net and more.  Look at all this great stuff!

Vintaj booty - what a treasure chest!

I won a load of wondrous booty from Vintaj!!

I entered Vintaj's online contest to create a steampunk character in 200 words or less - , and I won!  What a thrill, and soon the mail came with a heavy load of gorgeous Vintaj pieces - chains, charms, decorivets, filigrees, blanks - the thrill of the month at least!  My next post will be some of the jewelry I've made from this great prize.

Here's my winning story:

My father, Hugo Smith, always told me, "Caroline, you have to have the right tool for the right job."  I loved watching him at work when I was a little girl.  He was a metalsmith, and made everything from horseshoes to church bells in our country village.  In the evenings, my mother would make fanciful drawings of elaborate armor, helmets and chain maille, and Dad would bring her creations to life.  These were sold to wealthy collectors near and far.  When I was around 12, he made me a little set of hammers with designs on the ends and showed me how to smash them onto metal to make images.  He then took these pieces of metal and attached them onto helmets and breastplates, using a variety of tools and different types of metal.   I went in a slightly different direction as I grew older, creating beautiful hats, headpieces and ceremonial garments decorated with my own metal designs - hearts, keys, cogs, gears and oddments.  My designs are now very popular, and are seen all over Victorian England.  My two daughters work with me in our successful business and love it as much as I do.