Monday, December 17, 2018

An Explosion of Glass

Merry Christmas! I consider this Christmas hutch to be an explosion of glass.  

Christmas Hutch vintage glass
Christmas hutch arrangement with vintage glass

Many of the objects in this hutch arrangement are glass, and the sparkles and colors seem to explode with Christmas joy, hence the title.  



Christmas vintage glass porcelain birds
Detail with my two favorite birds
I collect red and green glassware throughout the years specifically for my Christmas hutch.

Christmas Hutch vintage glass
Detail of red bowl

This cut crystal bowl is one of my favorites. Red glass is flashed over a clear crystal bowl. When the bowl it then "cut" by the bowl maker, the clear crystal shines through.

Christmas Hutch vintage glass
Detail of pitcher and glass
White plates form a nice background to show off the colored glass. And then my white pitchers are in turn showcased against the colored plates.
Christmas Hutch vintage glass
Detail of Glass in my China hutch
The syrup pitcher above was created with a white coin dot process. The little glass trees were once avon perfume containers.

Wishing all the bloggers and browsers...


A very Merry Christmas!
May your holidays be blessed
with friends and family.




Click on the images to see them enlarged.


If you enjoyed this post you might also like:

hutch display
My Collection of all Hutch Posts!






























I am linking to these parties:
BNOTP: Metamorphis Monday 6a (Entry 72?? of 85.)
Eclectic Red Barn: Youre the Star Mon 7a (Entry )
Dedicated house: Make pretty Mon 10a 279 (Entry 61 of 120.)
Uncommon Slice: Inspire Me Mon 2-4p 247 (Entry 34 of 251.)
* Stroll Life: Inspire Me Mon 3p 481 (Entry 34 pf 216.)

Stone Gable: The Scoop Mon 5p 358 (Entry 8 of 393.)
    Also Cedarhill Ranch: The Scoop (Entry 8 of 393.)
How to Home: Project Inspired Mon 7pm 304 (Entry 2 of 19. or more.)  
Celebrate and decorate: Celebrate your story Mon 8p 159 (Entry 35 of 83.) 
Maria Elena: Tue at Our Home Mon 5p? 288 (Entry 39 of 156.)
Skip to my Lou: Made by you Mon 139 (Entry 31 of 94.) 

Lets Add Sprinkles: Keep in Touch Tue 4p 49 (Entry 8 of 22.)
Interior frugalista: Talk of the Town Tu 6p 154 (Entry 2 of 107.)
    Also My Repurposed Life: Talk of the Town (Entry 2 of 107.)
Savvy Style: Wow Us Tue 6p 401 (Entry 2 of 199.) *
Gingersnap crafts:Wow me Tue 7p 382 (Entry 25??)
Girlish Whims: Whims Tues 8:50p 386 (Entry 60 of 173.)
* Designthusiasm: Style Showcase Wed 6a 60 (Entry 63?? of 86.)
21Rosemarylane: Share Your Style 171 Wed 6p 188 (Entry 39 of 280.)
Delightsome Life: Home and Garden Thurs Wed 5p 355 (Entry 51 of 231.)

Grandmas House: Wed link party 118 (Entry 48 of 61.)
My thrift Store addiction: Christmas Vintage Charm (Entry 34 of 45.)
Charm of home: Home Sweet Home 391 (Entry 7 of 119.)
French Country: Feather Nest th12-2p (Entry 53 of 201.)

341929

Thursday, October 18, 2018

Halloween Pumpkin Pour

Halloween pumpkins by Jeanne Selep
Molten iron pours from pumpkin to pumpkin
Halloween inspires many unique activities across the United States, and one of my current favorites is the Pumpkin Pour at the University of Wisconsin Platteville.

Halloween Pumpkin Pour UW Platteville
Pumpkin Pour - Molten Iron from 5 pumpkins cascade into 5 pumpkins below
The University has an Industrial Studies program and an AFS (American Foundry Society) club, which runs the event as a fund raiser.
Halloween Pumpkin Pour UW Platteville
Pumpkin Pour - Molten Iron cascades through 4 pumpkins

The AFS club fires up a metal melting "cupola" that melts iron at over 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit, and among other things, pours the molten metal into carved pumpkins for visual fireworks.

Halloween Pumpkin Pour by Jeanne Selep
A 4 pumpkin cascade sparks like fireworks
Sparks fly as added water and other chemicals respond to the molten iron, effectively mixing pumpkins with fireworks.

UW Platteville Pumpkin Pour
Molten iron splashes as well!
I took these photos at Platteville's 5th annual pumpkin pour in October of 2017.

Halloween Pumpkin Pour by Jeanne Selep
A Pumpkin drools molten iron
I hope to be at the pumpkin pour in 2018. 

Halloween Pumpkin Pour by Jeanne Selep
Molten iron pours from pumpkin to pumpkin

Halloween Pumpkin Pour UW Platteville
After glow - and molten iron puddles
Glowing pumpkins seem to be the essence of contemporary American Halloween for me.  

Halloween Pumpkin Iron Pour UW Platteville
Molten iron gives pumpkins an amazing glow
For the fundraising portion of the night, the club charges interested visitors $5 each for an iron pumpkin created while the visitors watch.  For $5 a visitor is given a sand cast pumpkin mold, which visitors then carve their unique designs into.

Molten iron metal pouring into molds
Molten iron pouring into pumpkin molds
AFS members then pour the molten iron into the pumpkin molds while the visitors wait.  Once the cast iron pumpkins cool down, the visitors collect their one-of-a-kind creation.


UW Platteville Pumpkin Pour
Iron Pumpkin creations from the event
Above are some of the resulting cast iron pumpkins my family went home with.  See the pumpkin pie?

Waupaca Cupola UW Platteville Pumpkin Pour
UW Platteville Pumpkin Pour

The above photo shows the "cupola" from Waupaca Foundries that melts the molten iron in the background, and iron being poured into pumpkin molds in the foreground.

Halloween Pumpkin by Jeanne Selep
Iron pools while a pumpkin glares after a "Pumpkin Pour".
The photographer in me loves the visuals from this event.

Waupaca Pumpking at UW Platteville Pumpkin Pour
The UW Platteville Pumpkin Pour is supported by Waupaca, logo on pumpkin above


The American midwest is the kind of place you can find colleges and manufacturing companies that support odd events like the Pumpkin Pour.  Thanks to Waupaca Foundry, Neenah Foundry, and of course the University of Wisconsin, Platteville.  Learning complicated manufacturing processes can be fun!  Apparently there are multiple foundry events around the country at different times, let me know in the comment section if you have ever been to one and where it was.

Here is a 38 second video from the 2017 Platteville Pumpkin Pour where I took the photos for this post. It's worth the 38 seconds it takes to watch it!  And here is another video.


Click on the images to see them enlarged.

 



If you enjoyed this post you might also like:

Pumpkin Pour
Button Pumpkin
Halloween Hutch
christmas china hutch
Harvest Plates
Thanksgiving Hutch
Kaleidoscope Part 2
Kaleidoscope Part 3
Kaleidoscope Part 4


















 

 




I am linking up to these parties:

French Country: Feather Nest Thur 2p (Entry 90 of 192.)
FromGardners2Bergers: Handmade Hangout Fri 5p 230 (Entry 78 of 157.)
Kathleen: Bloggers Pit Stop 146 (Entry 40 of 125.)

Chic: Flaunt it Friday (Entry 1 of 97.)
Tumbleweed Contessa: Whatd you do 294 (Entry 85 of 101.)
Good Random Fun: Good-random-fun 42 (Entry 30 of 48.)
Dedicated house: Make pretty Mon 272 (Entry 23 of 105 list gone.)
BNOTP: Metamorphis Monday 508 (Entry ??)
Little Farmstead: Sun At Home Sat 7p (Entry 19 of 267.)
  Also Love of Home  (Entry 19 of  267.)
  Also My Soulful Home  (Entry 19 of 267.)
Silver pennies: Silver Pennies Sun 286 (Entry 43 of 133.)
Ms Toodygooshoes: Best of weekend Fri 7p (Entry 7 of 207.)
  Also Virginiasweetpea (Entry 7 of 207.) 
Life and Linda: Dishing it Digging it 223 Sun 5p (Entry 8 of 225.)
  Also Rustic-refined (Entry 8 of 225.)
Dwellings: Amaze Me Mon 286 (Entry 16 of 135.)
I Should be Mopping: Inspiration Mon Sun 5p (Entry ??)
Cedarhill Ranch: The Scoop 349 (Entry 56 of 375.)
Uncommon Slice: Inspire Me Mon 238 (Entry 106 of  232.)
How to Home: Project Inspired 296 (Entry 3 of 155 link gone)
* Stroll Life: Inspire Me Tues 444 (Entry 79 of 179.)
Mersad photography: Through my Lens (Entry 23 of 25.)
Our World Tues: Our World (Entry 39 of 81.)
Celebrate and decorate: Celebrate your story 151 (Entry 77 list gone.)
Image-in-ing: Weekly link up (Entry 36 of 85.)
Lets Add Sprinkles: Keep in Touch 42 Tue 4p (Entry 1 of  21.)
Interior frugalista: Talk of the Town Tu 6p 146 (Entry 1 of 74.)
    Also My Repurposed Life: Talk of the Town (Entry 1 of 74.)
Savvy Style: Wow Us Tue 6p 393 (Entry 20 of 192.) *
Gingersnap crafts:Wow me Tue 7p (Entry ??)
Girlish Whims: Whims Tues 8:50p 378 (Entry 77 of 180.)
* Designthusiasm: Style Showcase Wed 6a 52 (Entry ??27 of x.)
21Rosemarylane: Share Your Style Wed 6p 180 (Entry 117 of  231.)

Delightsome Life: Home-Garden Wed 5p 348 (Entry 152 of list gone.) 
Yellow Brick Home: Hauntingly Beautiful 2 (Entry 37 of 51.)
Too Many Hobbies: Beautifully Made 34 (Entry 36 of 36.)
Fluster Buster: Great Ideas 303 (Entry ??)
Rchreviews: Party in your PJs 231 (Entry 161 of 189.)
Little bits of Home: Dream Create Inspire 172 (Entry 145 of 154.)
Salvage Sister: Waste not Wed 126 (Entry ??)
Mybijoulife: Traffic Jam Weekend 252 (Entry 26 of 105.) 

2020 Grammys Grid: All things Halloween (Entry x) 

337077

 

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Art Journals, Part 2

A friend may well be reckoned a masterpiece of nature Emerson Quote by Jeanne Selep
Emerson Quote page in my Art Journal
My original art journal project had issues. I have been enjoying the process of resolving them.  The issue I'll mention today is the handwriting problem - I disliked my hand writing, and felt it wrecked the work I put into creating my beautiful papers.

It is love that holds the world together at its core Goethe Quote by Jeanne Selep
Goethe Quote Mixed Media page

A friend encouraged me to take a class she had taken - a brush lettering course taught by Emily Gail.  A single morning brush lettering class greatly improved my handwriting!  It went from a 2 out of 10 to a 4 out of 10.  That's a 100% improvement!


A friend may well be reckoned a masterpiece of nature Emerson Quote
Emerson Quote page in my Large Art Journal

The teacher's beautiful writing (none shown in this post) is way better than my shaky script, but I was happy with my writing and progress, for a whole bunch of reasons. 


College Student mixed Media art journal by Jeanne Selep
College Student Art Journal messages Set 1
I enjoyed practicing (a bit), so now I now think my writing is better than a 4.  I practiced so much I decided to create mini books for my college students to hopefully inspire them.  I get to create and play with more papers and create an heirloom for my children sharing wisdom I believe in.



College Student mixed Media art journal by Jeanne Selep
College Student Art Journal Messages set 2

If my kids aren't encouraged, I am.  Writing out "Talent is rarely distinguishable, over the long run, 
from perseverance and 
lots of hard work"
over 10 times improves the handwriting, and 
I begin to believe what I am writing.


Talent and Vision Art Journal Pages
Talent and Vision Art Journal Pages

The best way to practice lettering using the special "brush" marker is on vellum, which I can cut out and attach to the art journal pages.  
I AM NO LONGER WRECKING ANY PAGES!!!

Done is Better than Good Art Journal pages
Done is Better than Good Art Journal pages
As my lettering improves, I can and do replace the vellum with the improved version - I become very happy, because "Done is better than good!", and I am "done" with a lot more pages now.

Done is Better than Good Art Journal page by Jeanne Selep
"Done is better than Good" Quote in my Journal

(By the way, my college kids get the black "comb" binding journals, and my small art journal is the one with the 2 silver rings.)


(The hand lettering class taught by Emily Gail at Village Paper and Ink in Greendale Wisconsin was an great addition to my journal!  Emily is an awesome teacher, and I recommend her classes if you are that lucky, or else there are youtube videos on brush lettering.)

(See my first Art Journal post here) 



Click on the images to see them enlarged.

If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy...

Mixed Media 1
Mixed Media 2
Spring Gift Tags
Eggs of stone
Eggs-travaganza
Spring Tulips
Spring in Chicago
Spring Needlework


















I am linking up to these parties:

Gingersnap crafts:Wow me Wed 351 (Entry x)
Girlish Whims: Whims Wednesday 355 (Entry 165)
Jan Olson: Share your Cup of Tea Thur 290 (Entry 57)

Delightsome Life: Home and Garden Thurs 325 (Entry 135)
My husband: Beautifully Made 11 (Entry 38b)
Grandmas House: Wed Party 87 (Entry 111b) 

Katherine: Thurs Favorite Things (Entry 36 of 216)
Imparting Grace: Grace at Home 299 9:30A Th (Entry 53 of 87)
French Country: Feather Nest Fri (Entry 62 of )
Mythriftstoreaddiction: Vintage Charm 133 (Entry 32)
Richfaithrising: Blog Party (Entry 17)
Designthusiasm: Style Showcase 29 (Entry x)
Chic: Flaunt it Friday 403 (Entry 64 of 85)
Ms Toodygooshoes: Best of the weekend 123 (Entry 16)
Little Farmstead: Sundays Home Sa 7p (Entry 79)
Same as above: Maison de Cinq: Sundays Home (Entry 79)
Darling Diaries: Good Morning Mon 169 (Entry 24)
Silver Pennies: Sundays Party 264 (Entry 65)
Rustic Refined: Dishing it and Diggin it 201 (Entry 37)
Pieced Pastimes.gr: Saturday Sparks 272 (Entry 163)
Marcela Cavaglieri: Frugal Find 215 (Entry 4 of 14)
Jembellish: A-Round-Tuit 415 (Entry 55)
Create with Joy: Inspire me Mon 333 (Entry 105)
Fromgardners: Handmade Hangout Th 5pm 207 (Entry 25)
Create with Joy: Inspire me Mon 329 (Entry 4)
BNOTP: Metamorphis Monday 486 (Entry x)
Good Random Fun: Good Random Fun (Entry 30)
TumbleContessa: Whatd-do-Weekend 273 (Entry 97)
* Stroll Life: Inspire Me Tues Mon 5p 424 (Entry 4)
Maria Elena: Tue at Our Home Mon 258 (Entry 42)
Uncommon Slice: Inspire Me Mon 4p 217 (Entry 141)
Cedarhill Farmhouse: The Scoop Mon 5p 327 (Entry 1)
Skip to my Lou: Made by you Mon 109 (Entry 80)
Oh my hearts: Heartsie girls Wonderful Wed 108 (Entry 14)
How to Home: Project Inspired Mon 7p 274 (Entry 4)
Celebrate: Celebrate Story 129 (Entry 75 of 132)
Dedicated House: Make it Pretty Mon 8p 242 (Entry 13 of 81)
Interior frugalista: Talk of the Town Tu 6p 120 (Entry 11 of 111)
My Repurposed Life: Talk of the Town 124 (Entry 11 of 111)
Savvy Style: Wow Us Wed 388 (Entry 241 of 286)
21Rosemarylane: Share Your Style 171 Wed 6p (Entry 5)
* Designthusiasm: Style Showcase 26 (Entry)

321959

Saturday, April 21, 2018

Mixed Media Art Journal

Mixed Media Art Journal Quote
"Making Art" page in my Art Journal
I have been thinking and reading about creativity over the last couple of years, and I have started collecting quotes for creative people (artists!) (me!) as well.  I have also taken several Mixed Media and Scrap booking classes over the years.  All of this culminated in not one but two art journals that I have created in 2017 and started filling with quotes, many about creativity.   

Mixed Media Art Journal Cover
Small Mixed Media Art Journal Cover

This journal is currently my favorite.  What is fun about this creation is the small size (5 x 7 inches) and the ultimate flexibility of the pages.  I can add, remove, and move pages around easily so there is no stress about which quote goes first, and what pages I want to use.

Art Journal page Vision
"Vision quote" page in my Art Journal
I use this journal as a testing ground for ideas, and it has papers created in other classes.  I'm not using extravagant calligraphy on the pages, because I know I can do that "later" in the better journal, so I'm just having fun recording the quotes I like.

Art Journal Page
"To be an Artist" page in my Art Journal

I write quotes on post-its as I find them, and then transfer them to pages on artsy days with more time. The hand writing might be fast and primitive, but book has now become one I cherish because these quotes speak to me.

In future posts I plan on sharing pages and quotes, as I get the pages and lettering finished.  If you have the time, let me know what you think, and if you know of any art journal specific blog parties.

(I created this journal in Stayce DeWid's "Art Anthology Mixed Media Class".  Other papers were created in a class taught by Dyan Reaveley)



Click on the images to see them enlarged.


If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy...


Mixed Media 1
Mixed Media 2
Spring Gift Tags
Eggs of stone
Eggs-travaganza
Spring Tulips
Spring in Chicago
Spring Needlework

















I am linking up to these parties:
Art Journal Journey: Dec 2019 Words and Numbers (Entry 17 of 30)

Lakeshoredrive: Bouquet of Talent Sa 6p 294 (Entry 58 of 163.)
Little Farmstead: Sundays Home Sa 7p (Entry 64 of 246.)
Eclectic Redbarn: Happiness is Homemade (Entry 8 of 268.)
Maison de Cinq: Sundays Home (Entry 64 of 246.)
Darling Diaries: Good Morning Mon 166 (Entry 25 of 67.)
Silver Pennies: Sundays Party 260 (Entry 64 of 157.)
Rustic Refined: Dishing it and Diggin it 197 (Entry 28 of 230.)
Jembellish: A-Round-Tuit 411 (Entry 1 of 194.)
Dwellings: Amaze me Monday Sun 5p 261 (Entry 46 of 117.)
IShould: Inspiration Mon Sun 5p (Entry x of 384.) 

Create with Joy: Inspire me Mon 329 (Entry 36 of 205.)
TumbleContessa: Whatd-do-weekend 269 (Entry 64 of 116.) 
* Stroll Life: Inspire Me Tues 420 (Entry 1 of 238.)
Good Random Fun: Good Random Fun (Entry 14 of 42.) 
Intelligent domestications: Merry Monday 201 (Entry 166 of 299.)  
BNOTP: Metamorphis Monday 6a 482 (Entry 15x of 66.)
Maria Elena: Tue at Our Home 254 (Entry 35 of 162.)  
Uncommon Slice: Inspire Me Monday 4p 213 (Entry 6 of 266.) 
Cedarhill Farmhouse: The Scoop Mon 5pm 323 (Entry 11 of 445.)
Snapcreativity: Show and Tell Mon 7pm 316 (Entry 95 of 333.)
How to Home: Project Inspired Mon 7pm 270 (Entry 138 of 213.)

Gingersnapcrafts: Wow me Wednesday 338 (Entry 4? of x)
Interior frugalista: Talk of the Town Tu 6p 120 (Entry 19 of 132.)
21Rosemarylane: Share Your Style 167 (Entry 48 of 282.)
Girlish Whims: Your Whims Wed 352 (Entry 136 of 191.)
Savvy Style: Wow Us Wed 384 (Entry 70 of 310.)

A Delight: Home and Garden Thur 322 (Entry 50 of 169.) 
Imparting Grace: Grace at Home 296 9:30A Th (Entry 142 of 181.)
My Thrift Store Addiction: Vintage Charm Party 130 (Entry 36 of 49.)
Celebrate: Celebrate Story 125 (Entry 85 of 122.)
* Designthusiasm: Style Showcase 26 (Entry ?)
Katherines corner: Thurs favorite things Th 6a (Entry 12 of 215)

My husband: Beautifully Made 8 (Entry 43b of 52.)  
French Country: Feather Nest Fri (Entry 43 of 189.) *
Grandmas House: Wed Party 84 (Entry 116b of 122b.)
Life as we know it Th 3pm 282 (Entry 154 of 223.)
Charm of home: Home Sweet Home 366 (Entry 26 of 110.)
Fromgardners: Handmade Hangout Th 5pm 204 (Entry 53 of 206.)

Funky Junk: DIY projects 426 (Entry 6 of 30.)
Chic: Flaunt it Friday 401 (Entry 9 of 19.)
Tatertots and jello: Best Friday Features (Entry 290 of 322.)
Happy Nester: Spring home decor (Entry 33 of 45.)

VA Sweetpea: Best of the weekend 121 (Entry 135 of 184.)
Art-Journal-Journey: Words and numbers (Entry 17 of 135.)

319364