Hello All! We are back up and running! A bit has happened here while I was computerless - and I'll be sharing that soon, but today, we get to meet the lovely Andee of
Bearing Fruit!
So grab a nice cuppa whatever it is you are drinking these days (Irish Breakfast Tea for me!) and enjoy the discussion with Andee!
Hello Andee - It's so good to have you here. Let's jump right in, shall we?
Hi Daphne! Thanks so much for having me over for a visit.
I love your collages Andee, they are so colorful and cheerful. Could you share a little bit with us about your creative process?
Sure! I usually get inspired when I am reading my Bible or when I'm
journaling. I have those moments sometimes where I am reading and
then a verse jumps out at me. I might journal about it or meditate on
its meaning. I then get to drawing. Mostly, I use little figures as
my main "characters" in the pieces. So at this point, I draw the
little figure out in graphite pencil and then color her or him in
with colored pencil. Next I paint thin washes of acrylic paint mixed
with a medium over the colored pencil. Then I cut my figure out with
an x-acto knife. While I am doing this, I usually am thinking about
background colors. I might have already prepped a surface or maybe
not. If I haven't already, at this point I prep and paint my
background. Once I have my figure cut out, I start playing with the
placement of the collaged elements and the figure on the page. I get
to ripping up papers. I play with text. I print stuff out on the
computer or I paint the words by hand. Once I get everything where I
like it, I use matte medium to affix my collaged elements to my
surface.
I actually took this superfab online class with
Suzi Blu who totally
inspired me with her awesome techniques. I learned how to do the
technique of using colored pencil and then paint over the figure from
Suzi. I highly recommend her classes. She's a great teacher.
Wow - sometimes scripture does that same thing to me! Your characters are so fun and your technique is so interesting - thank you for sharing!
In addition to the collages, I notice that you are sewing. Can you tell us a little about that? Is there anywhere we can find your sewn items?
Well, when I first started to blog, I was painting and doing a great
deal of the mixed media pieces. But as I am sure you know, Daphne,
creativity doesn't always follow a straight path! So here I am, I'm
painting. And I get this bee in my bonnet to make this purse. So I
go into the stash and there it is, my pattern and fabric that was
planning to make oh-so-long ago. I make the green purse.
What can I tell you Daphne, except I was off and running!
Once I sat in front of that sewing machine, it was like coming home.
I used to sew when I was in 8th and 9th grade in a home ec class. But
I had long since stopped sewing. I had been feeling a bit stuck in my
mixed media paintings. I started to sew, and suddenly inspiration was
everywhere.
As for where you can buy the sewn pieces I am making, I haven't
officially set up shop yet. I am taking custom orders for friends and
friends of friends. But truth be told, I can't make things fast
enough to actually accumulate them to put them up in an online shop,
craft fair, or brick and mortar. But stay tuned, you never know...!
I guess in the meantime if someone I wants a custom order, they can
e-mail me.
It is true that creativity seems to wind its way through our lives. Your sewn items are just as lovely as your paintings so I think you're on the right track! ;) Now on to somethings I'm a little curious about...
You've given us a few glances into your rockabilly history (which I LOVE!), what is one other thing we might not know about you?
Hmm...that's a really good question! Well, here's a bunch of things
you probably didn't know about me (in no particular order)
1. In college, I dyed my hair all the time, and one time I dyed my
bangs green. I dyed them back to my natural color because the bangs
were clashing with a lot of my outfits!
2. I pierced my own left ear 4 times when I was in 8th grade-the old
fashioned way: with an ice cube and one of those earrings that they
pierce your ears with at the mall that's sharp as a point on one end.
3. I speak French and Italian.
4. I also dyed my bangs purple!
- What is it with me and the bangs? -
What are some new techniques or crafts you're interested in but haven't tried yet?
I am fascinated with (in no particular order) quilting, crocheting and
embroidery. Right now, I'm on a sewing jag. There's all this great
stuff to sew, so I may never stop long enough to try somethin' new.
Although, if the need comes up, I'll get busy. That's what happened
when Mr. Handsome (my fond name for my husband) wanted a handmade
scarf.
I resurrected my knitting needles (I had made one half of a scarf once
about 5 years ago and dropped the pursuit) But those babies were back
in my hands in no time and away I went. Big thanks to
elseffo at
YouTube for reminding me what to do once I cast on. It was a comedy
show, really. Me playing the same 2 minutes of the video over and
over so I could do it along with the instruction.
Are there any crafty classes/trips/pursuits coming up for you this summer?
Does September count? If it does, then let me tell you about this
awesome event I'm going to:
Blog Sugar. It's a one day event in
Southern California for faith based bloggers. But they explain it way
better on their blog. So I quote them here: "Rachel (the founder of
Blog Sugar) has realized that there was and still is a need for
bloggers to come together, talk social media and renew their passion
for WHY they blog. And Rachel has a desire to provide an atmosphere
for each and every blog-lovin' person. People desire to be purposeful
and intentional about what they do and Blog Sugar was created to come
along side bloggers and encourage them in the journey the Lord has
them on. Inspire. Teach. Grow. That is why Blog Sugar exists."
What is your favorite source of inspiration?
I get inspired by what's around me. And from these, I can't pick one
favorite. Here are a few:
1. walking in nature
2. walking in the hills by my house
3. thinking about making cool 1950s dresses, or looking at cool 1950s images
4. looking at fun things other people make. I am really into looking
at anything someone sews, especially if the fabric is patterned. I
also have a major crush on anything felted.
5. i love typography, graphic design and letterpress
But most of all, I get inspired in the morning when I sit and hang
with my One and only. He teaches me, He guides me, and He loves me.
Unconditionally. Plus, a lot of times, I'll be journaling and I'll
get ideas to make something.
I even got the idea and all the how-tos to make a bride-to-be nightie
when I was in my quiet time! I got inspired, and in between reading
verses, I started sketching out designs and figured out how to make it
using a store-bought bra, some ribbons and some sheer fabric.
I'm always curious about where people create, could you describe your studio/creative space for us?
The space that I am actually in is totally makeshift. We just moved
about two months ago and are in the midst of putting the finishing
touches on everything. But, with that said, we are blessed to have a
guesthouse behind our little bungalow. We call it the 'casita.' It's
a small space, and it has two little rooms plus a bathroom. Mr.
Handsome has his study in one room, and my craft room is in the other
room. Truth be told, I haven't gotten to spiffin' up my space yet. I
have been deliberately taking my time to put it together so I can see
what I really want and what I need. As I am continuing to work in
here, I'm just about ready to start pulling it all together.
The barebones of it is: on one wall of the room I have my computer
table with my scanner and printer and assorted officey things in bins
below the table. I turn 180 degrees in my chair and I am facing my
do-everything table. This is where I sew. It's also where I cut out
papers and collage stuff.
If I look out the window, I see our gorgeous lemon tree. We are
planning to plant a vegetable garden in front of the casita. So the
garden is pretty lovely. And we are working on that too.
If I had to pick one phrase to describe it all, I'd say "work-in-progress."
What is your favorite holiday, and why?
My favorite holiday is Christmas. I love what it means. I love what
we are celebrating. I love the family time. I love Christmas music,
the decorations, the lights, the festive atmosphere. Especially now
that Mr. Handsome and I are married ( we celebrate our one year
anniversary on May 29th!) It's a whole new adventure together. We are
starting family traditions of our own. Yay. Christmas rocks.
Your faith really shines through in your work, do you have any advice for those of us that would like to mesh our faith and creativity more?
That is an awesome compliment Daphne!
I was a bit torn in the beginning about just how much of myself to
share on the blog. I mean, my main idea was to blog about my crafts.
But I blog about me. And I'm about God. My initial posts where I'd
mention my faith were treading lightly on the subject. I would never
want to come off as "preachy." Meanwhile, I'm looking at a lot of
blogs in my spare time. And more and more I find myself being drawn
in to those where the women showed their love of their creative side
blended with their faith. I started to be moved to share a bit more.
I prayed about it and asked God how. He started to guide me through
it. I'm still on the journey.
I would say to anyone who would like to do anything on your blog, be
true. Be true to the person that God made you to be. It's been so
much easier for me to just be me on my blog, rather than be me but
only-sorta-and-only-kinda-
blog-about-my
faith-but-not-really-so-I-don'
t-offend-anyone.
Whew, I'm exhausted just writing that run-on sentence!
One thing I can say that I really connect with people who are
authentically real on their blogs. I have found some blogs that just
move me deeply because they are so honest and true. I was just
reading today about a guy who had a blog. His wife had a baby and
then she died the next day, or maybe even the same day the baby was
born. He was gonna close up the blog, but then it sort of became his
daughter's 'baby book' and he began blogging about his life as a
single dad, who loved his daughter and really,really missed his wife.
I can't wait to read his blog. From what I can tell, this guy and I
may not see eye-to-eye on a lot of 'stuff', but I can really dig that
he is bein' real.
That's what it's all about.
Bein' real.
Well, it certainly shows in your work and on your blog! Thank you so much for spending some time with us here today and answering all my goofy questions! It's been great talking with you Andee!
Thanks again so much for having me over Daphne! It's been really fun
catching up.
Head on over to Andee's
blog and say hello!
