Crates and WoodArt- What a Match!

     Hi there! This time I am in a bit of a better mood. I got my new logo and it gave me renewed energies! What do you think about it!  I decided to share with you all an idea that I saw on Pinterest, pinned from a blog called “i should be mopping the floor” and this is the link http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vdZMbrJtXf8/URaCQR1wNkI/AAAAAAAAOpg/Aq0aNRYIBSQ/s1600/crate1.jpg. When I saw it I actually got so excited, I even entertained the thought of going out and buying my husband an electric drill for the occasion. Then I remembered that he is not as excited about new tools as some men are and that probably the best idea is to just get him to borrow one from a neighbor. I am still working on it, but it will come eventually. 

 

     These crates are absolutely one of the best ideas I have seen for organizing! I know, there are lots of baskets and boxes out there. What I like about these is that they don’t cost a lot, you can really do it yourself! They can be as classy as you want them to be, and me with my wood burner…… I can do anything I want on them!! There is no end to the possibilities! They can be personalized with names for one’s personal items, or designed with a specific pattern to match a bedroom or kitchen motif. For example, my two younger girls have a whole bunch of hair clips and barrettes, headbands and ponytail holders. A box like this would be a perfect basket for their stuff, and their bedroom is slowly developing a very girlie butterfly motif, so wood burning some butterflies on it would almost make them fly themselves!! The boys are really onto horses so why not make a few boxes for them too?! With a few wood burned photos from Black Beauty, I might never find a toy soldier or Lego car on the floor again! In short, these crates are almost perfect for any place and can match any design!

     Now all that is left is to get them built! So I think that next week I am going to my neighbor, the one that builds decks and patios, to ask him for leftovers! Then I will work on getting my husband to borrow the electric drill! After all that, I get to run rampant on the crates with my wood burner!!! Sounds like it will take longer that I would like, but a girl can hope can’t she?!

Until next time,

Shaina

Looking Out Through the Pain

Hello to all those who are reading my page regularly and my most sincere apologies for disappearing on you all for so long! This has not been an easy time for my family and I.

My father in law may he rest in peace spent the last year of his life fighting colon cancer. For eight or nine months you could not even guess that he was sick. His immune system, after nine months of chemo, finally gave out. For three months one thing after another went wrong. The doctors said there was nothing left to do but a hospice. We decided to bring him home. We turned their home into a hospice, but at least it felt for him like home. We visited and joked and talked as everything was fine. That was what he wanted. For Purim he planned his costume- a semi colon, with a sign on his chest “Get Checked.” Like I said he was fighting it all the way!

A couple of weeks before Passover his breathing became worse and he became almost completely bed-ridden. We had heard the doctors prognosis but he would just shake his head and keep fighting. A week before Passover, my brother in law started pressing us to be around more so we were. (My husband much more than I due to having to take care of six children!)

Friday my husband went and stayed almost until sunset, religious Jews do not drive after sunset, and then returned home for my candle lighting and Sabbath prayers. We enjoyed sharing stories about my father in law all that Sabbath. We never guessed that it was fore telling something….. Almost immediately after the Sabbath ended we got the call we were dreading. My father in law returned his soul to his Maker Friday night after reciting the Shema Yisrael prayer ( it is a custom to recite this prayer as well as others before passing…), surrounded by all his family…. except us.

Getting through the Passover holiday was not easy and it is getting easier very, very slowly. We have our better days and worse days. The kids do not always understand, neither do I for that matter.

I very much want to create something that expresses all of what is going on inside of me, but I haven’t decided what yet. I am searching for enlightenment. Waiting for the voice of inspiration to scream through the pain and distress…. Just waiting….

My father in law a year and three months ago, full of life, at a family occasion. May his soul rest in peace and his memory be a blessing to all who knew him. Amen.

Until next time,

Shaina

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Shadow Boxes and Pyrography

I saw these shadow boxes, and thought right away that these are perfect picture ideas! They look great as beach photos, but could also be great for special memories. The addition of pyrographic art on the frame would make the box even more special and more memorable. The option of adding designs that would enhance the beauty of its contents, makes the box that much more unique.

For a beach photo, one could wood burn sea shells and starfish. For a babies first year or baby gift one could add a burning of blocks spelling the babies name, a rattle, baby bottle, teddy bear or pacifier. For a wedding picture- wedding bells, rings and flowers. For a photo from a trip- foot prints, binoculars, a camera. There are a never ending amount of options for these shadow boxes.

I love their flexibility for designs and ability to make your memories last forever. Wouldn’t you like to be able to make your memories last forever?

***This is not my work but just an amazingly inspiring idea that I got from Pinterest. The idea came from Geekfill a very interesting website that is full of great stuff! Here is the site address http://www.geekfill.com/ with my recommendation!

See you soon with more great ideas!

Shaina

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The Magic of Gift Giving

Hey everybody! Here I am again! My inspirations sneak in once in a blue moon and whisper an idea in my ear. Usually it is between cooking and listening to the boys try to kill each other for fun. Or the little ones are whining for a movie, and my teenager is busy telling me which friend did what to who in her class today. All the background noise makes it so hard to hear that little voice!

So I decided to ask a friend of mine, Shikma Benmelech, a fellow blogger like me what she thinks… and she told me. And told me and told me! She was truly amazing! I started to think that my little voice got tired of talking to me when I am not listening, so he went to talk to her instead. After talking to her he came to me and said “Go talk to Shikma! Maybe to her you will listen.” And I did!

The two e-mails that I received from  Shikma were full of amazing gifts for me. Ideas and advice that will hopefully last me a long time. In honor of her gift to me I chose to write this post about the magic of giving a gift. Giving truly has a special magic to it, for the giver as well as the receiver.

Everyone likes getting a gift. It gives you that special feeling that someone thought of you, of what you need or of what would make you happy. Who doesn’t like to walk in and find a gift wrapped box on their table or a single red rose tied with a ribbon on their pillow? Just the thought of it  lights that warm feeling inside and makes me smile.

I  also know the way I feel when I give. When I see the surprise and glint of pleasure in the eye of the receiver, it makes me feel like I did something good. Yesterday I had a baking day and decided that I had way too much baked for keeping it all for my family. So I thought for a moment, who could really use some fresh-baked muffins and cookies? Then I remembered a good friend that does not have baking talent and always gets excited about my love for it (I am obsessed with DIY baking as well!). So I packed up a little baggie with cookies and a plate of choco-chip cinnamon muffins, and went to knock on her door. After giving it to her I am positive that I got the better deal out of giving. The whole family was so excited! I still can see her as the smile spread across her face.

That wonderful feeling is what made me start the Gift Shop. This way  I can create the beautiful gifts I love to make, and share them with others. With every creation I feel the excitement of wondering, “Who will get to enjoy this new creation?”

People are basically good. We all have a need to give, to share, and to bring someone to a feeling of joy and happiness. Everything else is just what we do because we have to. We have to live and life demands certain things from us. Those things are certainly not the true pleasures of life. I like to remember the true pleasures of life and to do what makes me feel good about  myself.

I create because I enjoy it. I like to give because I like the feeling of giving. The way the world works is “buy and sell”. That is what makes an economy and economic stability. It is a necessity that life demands, but I refuse to let those demands change my spiritual demands and emotional happiness.

So I have my gift store and it is waiting for its grand opening…. It is coming. Very soon… Perhaps you too will find there a gift that you would like to give to someone you love.

 

 

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The Table

     I have a friend with an old wooden coffee table in her house. Every time I visit I look at it and see how the kids use it for play and drawing. In my eyes I understand that it could be turned into a beautiful table with  a little bit of work. I can see the design right there in front of my eyes. The Celtic designs or flowers, even a geometric pattern could be beautiful! If she would only let me! I have begged and pleaded, with no results. Telling her that I will draw out the pattern on paper first so she can see it and decide, doesn’t help. Even promising her that I will do it as a gift, if she sands down the table herself, doesn’t change her mind!

It is amazing how badly I want this! I want the opportunity to try to create something bigger than what I am used to. Not another little box or trinket. Something long lasting. A table is just what I am looking for.

Imagine a design like these sunflowers as a centerpiece on a coffee table! It makes my fingers itch just thinking about it!

As we learned in our early years of friendship, the value of a good friend is priceless. We can want something that is great for us, and we are even convinced that it is good for our friend as well. In the end though, what is left for us to do is to give in, after all, the friendship is worth so much more!

So for now I am accepting it. I still offer her every once in a while, but not in a pestering way that feels like I am forcing myself upon her. We laugh about it and she always says “My father was a carpenter for forty years, and you are going to tell me what’s beautiful wood?! ”  Then we laugh and continue talking.

I am drawing up a pattern soon on a large piece of drawing paper. I haven’t decided which style to try first but maybe I will try a few different ones and save them for when she changes her mind!

🙂 What?! I can dream can’t I? 🙂

Where did my inspiration go?!

Hi! It has been a long time since I have written/posted. I will tell you why, I am suffering from a serious case of writers block. I sit day after day looking at the paper in front of me and can’t figure out what there is to sat that is real and not a sales pitch! I hate to feel fake! I love actors but I am not one of them! So I am doing my woodart and wood burning but there is nothing to write about….. I follow a few people and am amazed to see that they can write a lot, almost every day if not every day! Here I am reading stuff that others are writing and am thinking… Hooray for them! They have inspiration! They have things going on in their head and are sharing it with everyone! Where is my inspiration? So I decided to at least, post a few photos of what I have been doing while waiting for inspiration….

So that is that folks! For wood, I am full of new inspirations but as for writing, I am still waiting….

Maybe you all have some inspirational ideas for me? If so I would love to hear them! Maybe one of your ideas will be my new salvation!

Waiting to hear from you! (Or from my inner voice!)

Shaina

Who’s Fault is it That I Can’t Draw?!

Today I want to share with you the way I use coloring pages for my own works and you too will see how easy it is to create something truly beautiful… even if you yourself can not draw.
After choosing the picture that you want to use all you need is a carbon copy page for art, masking tape, and 2 piolet pens of different colors.

Microcom Carbon Copy 6.1 (Photo credit: Luigi Rosa)

Tape the picture to the carbon copy and then tape the carbon copy face down to the wood (or canvas) that you are working on. Make sure that it is taped down evenly, straight, and right side up! Those mistakes are the most aggravating because they are totally in your control.
After the picture is properly placed all that is left is to start tracing. I like the most deciding ahead of time not to use the entire picture just portions of it. I even use portions of a variety of pictures which truly shows my artistic ability to create a whole new picture from a few pieces. That too is talent. Who’s fault is it that not everyone can draw?
Once you have copied all you need( in one color pen) your picture is ready for wood burning. With the other color pen you can go over the lines of what you left out of your picture so you know for next time what you can add to change the scenery.
It’s as simple as that! Now get going and try to create some art of your own!

Dreams and How to Make them Come True

pyrographic flower design

I have been brain storming lately as to how I can make my dream come true and design plans for furniture designs. I saw a beautiful table that a friend of mine Brahm Zuckerman designed and fell in love! I could absolutely see my designs on the table top and drawer fronts! When I shared my thoughts with him all I could think of is that I must find someone who could make a table like that for me! There are two catches, one is that he can’t do it for me! Why? Because geographically it just doesn’t work. Canada and Israel are way too far apart for doing business together in that realm.The other is that financially I am not able to pay for such an amazing piece of woodwork. So now I am trying to find someone who can do it for me here or who is interested in finding a Woodart artist like me to add a special beauty to his woodwork. Anyone have any ideas? If so I would love to hear them! It takes woodart to a whole new level to design something like that and it would totally be a dream come true.For now I am going to continue searching and dreaming. There is nothing that keeps you motivated like a dream and I have lots of them! You are invited to be a part of them… just stay tuned!

 

You Don’t Need to Draw to Make Art That Works!

I thought to share with you a few places for downloading or printing pictures for use in wood burning designs. These sites and others offer a wide variety of options for beautiful work even though we do not draw our own pictures. Remember art has many different definitions!
1) http://www.preschoolcoloringbook.com
2) http://www.coloring-page.com
3) wwwsimonerossi.it\coloring\index.htm
So try these and see what you can create! I will be happy to hear how it worked for you. Just fill in your comment in the lines below. Oh, and if you have any of your own connections to pics for printing you are welcome to share them with us.
Happy printing!!

Gifts for the Wood Lover in You!

Flower picture frame accented with wood burned designs. Magnet attached to the back for easy hanging. Its beautiful simplistic design adds beauty where ever it is hung. Put a picture of someone you love inside and you will see how much you will love it! One of a kind!

This hand painted box with a window is the perfect gift for adding a drop of beauty to a small corner. It holds small things such as a box of matches and a small bag of “bisomim” the spices used for the Jewish Havdala ritual. It could also be beautiful with your Chanukah candles.

This is one of my handmade boxes. It works well to keep “small treasures” that you cherish. It also works well as a tea box even without the dividers so characteristic to a tea box. The window in the top makes it easier to find what you are looking for even before opening the box.

Here is another example of a hand drawn and painted, pyrographic treasure box. This one is slightly larger than the first and is without the window which leaves the option for the beautiful drawing in its place. Ideal for bracelets or necklaces or other small priceless items

Pyrographic designed pencil organizer. Hand drawn and painted with professional wood paint. The perfect gift to add beauty to the worktable of someone you love.

This savings bank is hand designed, wood burned, and painted with acrylic paint. It adds character where ever it goes!

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