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Upcycle Ribbon during the holidays

2011-12-20T16:49:00.005-05:00

The holidays are here and you will likely be wrapping and unwrapping gifts. Have you ever wondered how to upcycle all the ribbon you have left over from unwrapping gifts? Well I have a great idea, why not use it to create ribbon roses. Here is an example of the ribbon roses I created. I used them to make the following:

1. as the stud part for earrings 2. small button roses which I will use later for scrap booking 3. Big roses which I can use to decorate presents.

If you still don't know what to do with all that ribbon you can always mail it to me, I promise to do something crafty with them :). Happy Holidays to all! In the next blog I'll show you how I upcycled my old purse with ribbon!!

Alone, Never, Always

2011-02-13T10:45:00.004-05:00

I started this painting the summer of 2007, and today Feb 13th 2011 I finally feel like I can walk away from it. I feel like it is saying the message I wished to convey. The painting has definitely changed from when I first started it.

As the title "Alone, Never, Always" suggests it's an exploration of being alone. Initially I was looking at the darker or unpleasant side of being alone, that feeling of being separated from others and unable to connect. However, the final painting evolved from separation towards a feeling of understanding that being and feeling alone is natural, and it that sometimes it can actually be wonderful to explore solitude and take the time to listen to the voices in your head which you tend to quite while surrounded by others.

I tried to express the positive side of being alone by brightening the red color, and adding a small colorful section on the bottom left. I still maintained the dark background and the gray tones of the body because being alone is normally not a great feeling.

I also added a brooch to the painting, which I sewed on and glued a pearl at the center, as well as painted it. The pearl is a symbol of searching deep within yourself to find a rare treasure.

The original painting I started in 2007, used a darker red, and the only colors where black, silver and red.

Morning In Paradise

2011-02-01T12:11:00.004-05:00

My husband and I went to the park some glorious morning in July of 2010 fortunately we were camera ready, so we were able to take some amazing nature shots! I love my Nikon camera the macro feature works really well. The cold winter is making me nostalgic for spring so I thought this was the perfect time to share the pictures with you. Here are some of the pictures we took :). Enjoy!

All Photographs were taken by Dion or Eli, please request permission for use. Copyright of Infinite Productions

Inner Peace

2010-08-25T12:03:00.001-04:00

Life Changing Inspiration - that is the best way to describe the impact of the book "Siddhartha" by Herman Hesse on my life. The word Siddhartha itself can mean "he who has found meaning (of existence.)"

I read this book during my High School years and I was so enthralled by the story that, before I knew it, I was done reading it. Anxious to absorb everything the book offered, I had to read it a second time to better soak in the meaning. The depth of the narrative and the strength of the relationship established between the main character, Siddhartha, and myself was magnetic. The journey of the young prince was one that resonated with me. Just like him, I envisioned myself on my own journey through life and contemplated all the good and bad things that had come together to create my experience. It was eye opening to understand those experiences as part of my life lessons rather than take them for granted as incidental.

After reading the book, I drew an ink sketch (below) and to this day it stands as one of my favorites because it represents a page from my life’s journal - a moment when I paused and looked at all that I was becoming. I am writing this review several years after reading the book so I have many additional perspectives and experiences under my belt, but I still recognize this book for challenging me to look at myself with new eyes. It is easy to validate our selves by external metrics, trends, and standards, but it is more difficult to take the time to understand our motivations and fears. It is even more difficult to practice taking control of those things.

As long as we live we are acquiring moments, some we overlook and others we hang onto for dear life. But it is important to take some time now and again to appreciate the full beautiful web of life that we have created and live in. Granted, I have yet to master inner peace or the balancing of the internal versus external self, and I definitely can't levitate like the image in my sketch :) but my Spiritual Journey continues, and I am more aware of myself and my choices than I used to be.

Observando

2010-07-28T09:23:00.001-04:00

Many of my jobs in NYC have been around or near Central Park and whenever feasible I would definitely take my lunch in Central Park.

This sketch is testimony to one of those afternoons, as I sat there in the bench I began by sketching the tree in front of me and then my mind began to wander and remember other places I had been too, it was a reflective and relaxing reverie.

The title "Observando" is Spanish for "to observe" in English.

Observando- Ink Sketch

Medium: Gel Ink Pens, And Regular Black Ink Pen

Crystal Belle-Apenteng amazingly calm and bright (22 July 2008 at 04:59)

La música es vida

2010-07-22T12:28:00.014-04:00

April of this year I attended the Trinity International Hip Hop Festival and fell in love with the music performed by the group Nomadic Massive! I had an opportunity to speak with one of the songstress Meryam Saci, and her lively personality and awesome curly hair inspired me to make this sketch. I call it "La música es vida" In English that means music is life.

Bottom Detail with Gold Paper cutouts

Top Detail made with Acrylic Paint & Pen Ink

Full Picture

Materials:

Pen Ink (black & Blue),
Gold paper
Golden Fluid Acrylics-Cadmium Red Medium Hue

Aja Naturals Surprise

2010-07-13T07:46:00.010-04:00

This is a gift I made for my friend Aja and her company www.ajanaturals.com. This is an item my friend uses as a prop for her events and I wanted to make the vase more vibrant while making the colors match the Aja Naturals color scheme- turquoise blue and gold.

Maaterials Used: Acrylic Paint, Acrylic Clear Seal

Original Vase

First Layer Some Blue


Final Gold touch

Se Acabo

2010-07-10T14:23:00.000-04:00

Yaya Elizabeth is this an ophelia moment in sketch? 23 August 2007 at 23:46 · Elizabeth Drb Definitely Ophelianess going on here. 24 August 2007 at 08:40 ·

Crystal City

2010-07-04T11:13:00.006-04:00

Crystal City

It was a beautiful full moon the other night... and I had a little experiment idea... turning a common household object into a crystal city with the full moon in the background! Did I succeed?

Peacock Restoration Project

2010-06-13T19:44:00.008-04:00

A couple of weekends ago, I confiscated a vintage art piece from my grandmother. It is dated 1979. As soon as I saw it I fell in love with it! I imagined it in full color and I'm working on restoring it!

1.Original Piece... If you notice the right side brightened the wood color so that it looks more cherry, will do this on the other side as well.

2. Colored the flowers with some red and white.

3. Added some blue, green, orange, black and brightened the gold.

End of Summer Love

2010-06-07T14:38:00.003-04:00

Misael Rojas wow! - when can i see these? you seriously need to have a showing... 23 August 2007 at 10:38 · Elizabeth Drb I am working on it :) I am waiting for you to become my manager 23 August 2007 at 14:20 · Misael Rojas ok...so i come back to look at this one every once in a while.... so what... 25 January 2008 at 11:16 · Elizabeth Drb eh- this is one of those that that i don't look at everyonce in a while just because well it's over!! :) 25 January 2008 at 12:08 · Misael Rojas yes... "it" may be over, but "it" has garnered the artist to create this wonderful piece of work. 25 January 2008 at 12:15 · Elizabeth Drb eh- why you always have some smart aleck come back? imma start calling u profesor girafales 25 January 2008 at 15:39 ·

No Me Acostumbro, No

2010-06-07T14:33:00.007-04:00

Yaya Elizabeth Glad things have changed a bit...hopefully no going backwards on this one.......... 07 November 2007 at 18:14 · Elizabeth Drb there isn;t anything to go back to just forward :) 07 November 2007 at 23:08 ·

Held Up

2010-06-07T14:33:00.005-04:00

Slava Yaryshkin I really like this one... 30 January 2008 at 12:22 ·

Economic Thought

2010-06-07T14:32:00.002-04:00

Slava Yaryshkin : This makes a great graphic design poster 30 January 2008 at 12:29 ·

Sin Pasion

2010-06-07T14:31:00.005-04:00

Guesnerth Josue Perea : this one is also great! 15 March 2008 at 03:28 ·

UnHappy

2010-05-25T14:22:00.000-04:00

Que Sera

2010-05-25T14:19:00.007-04:00

Comments:

*Yayaa: PARIS 07 November 2007 at 18:13

*Eli:Vegas 08 November 2007 at 16:10

*Guesnerth Josue Perea: This one is amazing! 15 March 2008 at 03:26

*Prashanth Srinivasan: simply awesome! 09 April 2008 at 04:45

*Krys Ashano: this is beautiful and very creative i envy u gal 23 April 2008 at 13:17

Pesadilla

2010-05-25T14:17:00.005-04:00

This sketch is titled Pesadilla, which is the Spanish word for "Nightmare," as the name suggests this is based on a nightmare I had once. There are 3 main characters in this sketch: a monster, a woman, and a man split in two.

The woman is watching as the soul of the man she loves is being literally peeled off from his body. There, are other symbols, butterfly, fish, face mask that are found around her hair and represent situations that have been a part of the man & woman's story.

The red represents a river of blood into which the man's soul will be drained to. This very same river of blood is the life source of the monster. If you notice the arm of the monster already has a soul that is intertwined into the muscle makeup of his skin.

This was a horrible dream, but sketching it helped to transfer the visions out of my mind, and safely into a piece of paper.

Yo

2010-05-25T14:16:00.000-04:00

Sin Decir

2010-05-25T14:14:00.002-04:00

Misael

2010-05-25T14:10:00.003-04:00

Misael Rojas i look at it everyday...(the real one) 10 September 2007 at 10:46 · Yaya Elizabeth wait, whats this? whats it for? where did it go? whose gift? eli you owe me the woman in the red dress BEFORE i die. 07 November 2007 at 18:12 · Elizabeth Drb I consider this blackmail, and will report you to the proper authorities. 07 November 2007 at 23:09 · Yaya Elizabeth umm my mom? please don't. 08 November 2007 at 00:11 · Misael Rojas please ladies... enough fighting over me (my painting, really) 08 November 2007 at 09:16 ·

Como Un Rayo (Like Lightning)

2010-05-25T14:08:00.001-04:00

Slava Yaryshkin That is my favorite color combination 30 January 2008 at 12:26 · Guesnerth Josue Perea Satan huh? 15 March 2008 at 03:22 ·

Posibilidad

2010-05-25T14:06:00.000-04:00

Misael Rojas this one is serious. however - pics too small i cant see details dammit. oh well, gonna have to send me the originals... 31 January 2008 at 10:21 · Elizabeth Drb r u stalking my sketches!!! 31 January 2008 at 11:29 · Misael Rojas senor sketchstalker - thats me! 31 January 2008 at 12:09 · Guesnerth Josue Perea This one seems very profound, i do see possibility at the top! 15 March 2008 at 03:25 · Prashanth Srinivasan i like - no, i love!!! 09 April 2008 at 04:44 · Elizabeth Drb gracias chicos, this one is special to me 09 April 2008 at 09:57 ·

Happy Sunday

2010-05-25T14:03:00.001-04:00

Coca Cola

2010-05-25T13:59:00.002-04:00

Yaya Elizabeth oh the many details.....gotta look at it again tomorrow along w/ the resty esta es tu ultima coca cola de el desierto? 07 November 2007 at 18:11 · Elizabeth Drb i felt like it 08 November 2007 at 16:08 · Slava Yaryshkin Somebody likes drawing hair too much :) 30 January 2008 at 12:27 · Elizabeth Drb def it's all about the hair!! 30 January 2008 at 13:41 ·

Esperando

2010-05-25T13:56:00.002-04:00

Misael Rojas fantastic. EXHIBIT!! 14 March 2008 at 14:57 ·

Guesnerth Josue Perea Amazing, how does ur brain work to make something like this? 15 March 2008 at 03:23 ·

Elizabeth Drb Misael: as soon as you start publishing your art work you can tell me to exhibit lolJosh: I mean really, if really smart scientist haven't figured out all the ins and out of how the mind works what makes you think i have any clue. I am just grateful it works ocassionally ;) 15 March 2008 at 11:41 ·

Athenia Fischer- Rodney To much red for my liking, and I love red. 04 April 2008 at 11:28 ·

Elizabeth Drb too much red for my liking= too much waiting for my likingi was in a waiting roomwaiting for someone to callwaiting for the sun to come outwaiting...waiting...waiting... See more 04 April 2008 at 13:07 ·

Tania Rojas wow according to the date on the painting four months in a waiting room I would guess can turn out like this....good work eli 05 April 2008 at 22:51 ·

Elizabeth Drb lol, yes definitely the lenght of the waiting was the suffocating part 07 April 2008 at 19:43 ·

Escondida

2010-05-25T13:30:00.003-04:00

La Mania de Maria

2010-05-25T13:19:00.006-04:00

Yaya oooh nice title........lol MARIA SE FUE!! 07 November 2007 at 18:10 ·

Eli: unfinished still 07 November 2007 at 23:09 · Eli: did u notice the yellow wallpaper...lol 07 November 2007 at 23:16 · Slava Yaryshkin I know that one 11 November 2007 at 15:34 · Athenia Fischer- Rodney I like this one. It is really nice. YEllow wall paper?? 04 April 2008 at 11:28 · Eli: inside joke about a short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman titled The Yellow Wallpaper 04 April 2008 at 11:32 ·

Wedding Roses Project

2010-05-25T11:26:00.004-04:00

Dragon & Roses Dance Project

2010-05-25T11:12:00.005-04:00

Lollinez Pérez Beautiful!!! :) 31 July 2009 at 18:17 ·

Latoya Fletcher Beautiful Elizabeth... I wish you were passin' through Minnesota. I am working on a portion of a peace van (old School VW microbus) and this organization would like other Artists to contribute. I Know you would do something awesome. 31 July 2009 at 19:43 · Elizabeth Drb Aww Minnesota ay... I would love to do something like that :( 31 July 2009 at 22:19 ·

Golden Garden Project

2010-05-25T11:06:00.004-04:00

November 2009

Rapture

2010-05-25T11:03:00.001-04:00

Elizabeth Drb This one was a dream I had once, woke up right after it and started drawing. 25 August 2008 at 12:26 ·

Anyarisa

2010-05-25T11:01:00.004-04:00

Anya Vallée thanks for thinking of me, Eli Your sketches are amazing! 03 July 2008 at 17:41 · Elizabeth Drb remember the apple picking day? 03 July 2008 at 20:36 ·

Yayaa

2010-05-25T10:59:00.002-04:00

Comments

*Yayaa: so i show my mom your painting of me, and she says but yaya your hair isn't that long so i dont get how thats you....She takes art so very literal. 07 November 2007 at 18:22 · *Eli:u can't really see the gold in this photograph :( 29 November 2007 at 16:30 · *Anita Hurtado-Strok: that's beautiful...kudos Elizabeth 19 December 2007 at 00:57 *Elizabeth Drb Thanks Anita :)! 19 December 2007 at 10:54 *Carmen Enid Colon love it! 10 May at 11:22

Fractured

2010-05-25T10:44:00.002-04:00

John-Paul Pagano I'm a visual art ignoramus, but I like this one. 14 March 2008 at 13:20 · Yaya Elizabeth love thisso odd but beautiful 16 March 2008 at 19:25 · Erwin Alberty whatever yaya said ;) 16 March 2008 at 22:42 ·

Buscando

2010-05-25T10:40:00.001-04:00

Elizabeth Drb This is based on a photograph that I took of myself with direct sunlight in my eyes. This is the unfinished one, i will upload the finished one soon. 23 August 2007 at 09:09 · Yaya Elizabeth ahem excuse me a PHOTOGRAPH I took of your eye in direct sunlight...........where's the credit? orquid show... 23 August 2007 at 23:53 · Elizabeth Drb OOOPSS sorry dude... i was all caught up in the narration and forgot the facts. yes YAHAIRA E. ULLOA took the original photography this painting is based on. 24 August 2007 at 08:50 ·

Yaya Elizabeth yea you better! props...lol by the way this is def in my top 10 as well. 07 November 2007 at 18:20 ·

Emily Gonzalez Ferrari OMG, I love this painting...gotta love art, it's the best :-) 10 July 2008 at 08:39 ·

Wilma Lopez Nuestra Proxima Candido Bido!!!!! Bellisimas!!! 10 July 2008 at 09:01 ·

Elizabeth Drb Thanx Emily & Wilma... let's see if i can see you in person one of these days before i get old and gray! 10 July 2008 at 10:26 ·

Lollinez Pérez This is SO beautiful, Eli. you are so talented, nena. so talented. :) i wonder how much this one would go for? I would buy it in a heart beat. But, i'm sure it would be beyond my reach! ;) 04 July 2008 at 23:27 ·

Senior YR

2010-05-25T10:38:00.001-04:00

Guesnerth Josue Perea This is a beautiful piece, the use of green is amazing, the two people at the corners seem to interact through the rest of the painting! 15 March 2008 at 03:44 ·

Khalilah Walters Eli, when are you setting up shop so that moneyed aficionados can start collecting? 17 March 2008 at 02:46 ·

Elizabeth Drb maybe for the summer, and as soon as i find a manager who can deal with the money since I can't bear to do so myself 17 March 2008

Loss II

2010-05-25T10:35:00.003-04:00

Eli: the poem was written by Lucas Farell '03, the drawing of the girl crying is by Carrie Lefeber, and the drawing in the background was etched by me 14 March 2008 at 12:47 ·

Loss III- Iniko

2010-05-25T10:33:00.001-04:00

Eli the face sketch was made by Kudzai Zvoma'03 for the 4 Divas writing project. I made the print etch in the background + bow

Loss I

2010-05-25T10:26:00.001-04:00

Elizabeth Drb This is one of three in a series of PRINTS that I did after the Angels died. 23 August 2007 at 09:07 · Khalilah Walters Wow. 17 March 2008 at 02:39 ·

Senseless

2010-05-25T10:20:00.003-04:00

Kevin Immonje wow. mad skillz! big up. 19 September 2007 at 12:11 · Elizabeth Drb shanks, i try, no really i do :). hope everything is well mr immonje 20 September 2007 at 12:06 · Slava Yaryshkin that's a funny pic :) 11 November 2007 at 15:32 · Elizabeth Drb where is that scarve i can't find it anywhere... no wonder i haven't been painting lately :(. 29 November 2007 at 16:28 ·

Yaya Elizabeth beautiful 23 August 2007 at 23:50 ·

Elizabeth Drb This sketch is based on the book "The Farming of bones" and conversations that I have had with Erwin & Danilo about Dominican Politics. 24 August 2007 at 11:15 ·

Erwin Alberty aka. My Painting!!! 29 November 2007 at 14:31 ·

Guesnerth Josue Perea This one is so good, for lack of a better word, Christ juxtaposes the conidition of the person approaching Him, your love of trees and hair certainly shows your fondness for freedom, since these do not grow in a specific pattern. 15 March 2008 at 03:42 ·

Elizabeth Drb my work provoked some critical thinking, are you analyzing me or the painting?... oh wait they might be one and the sameThis painting is still unfinished... :( but imma get to it!trees can represent so many different things for me. In this painting it =history and how we are linked inextricably for better or worse. The 4 main characters are ... See moreJesus/religion, Trujillo/Goverment, Woman/society, Child/future, and the overarching character is Nature as a watcher that feels the consequences of the 4 main characters lol yeah i actually put a lot of thinking into my paintings, cuz paint is expensive!! 15 March 2008 at 11:52 ·

Guesnerth Josue Perea I would expect no less, I figured some Dominican political figure would be there but wasnt able to make out whom it would be, its still a great painting! 15 March 2008 at 12:07 ·

Crystal Belle-Apenteng wow! 10 May at 17:18 ·

Elizabeth Drb :) 11 May at 08:49 ·

Wesley Wade I wonder what "Ivan" will look like. Can't wait. Great job! 11 May at 23:21 ·

Elizabeth Drb Guess I wasn't so discrete on the topic :) so far the people who've seen love the colors. still working on the details 12 May at 17:14 ·

Crystal Belle-Apenteng The Farming of Bones is an amazing book!!! 12 May at 19:24 ·

Alba Si love it 12 May at 22:21 ·

New York

2010-05-25T10:18:00.000-04:00

Eli : This was done during my first year in Middlebury. I was missing the city landscape and trying to find my place in the Green Mountains. 23 August 2007 at 09:10 ·

Yayaa : ay hombe 07 November 2007 at 18:19

Enredada en Hilo

2010-05-25T10:12:00.000-04:00

La Luz del espacio

2010-05-25T10:11:00.001-04:00

Collaborative Art Piece with the Amazing writer DP (2008) Misael Rojas i'm diggin the colors on this one... 22 July 2008 at 00:21 ·

Chiquitica

2010-05-25T10:10:00.002-04:00

21 of July 2008

Present

2010-05-25T10:06:00.002-04:00

Eli: Lately I'm flirting with Pointillism (25 August 2008 at 17:37)

No One

2010-05-25T10:05:00.002-04:00

Misael Rojas :no seriously...there needs to be a show with these... 25 August 2008 at 11:29 · Eli : you can't tell me to do a show, until you create one of your visionary installations 25 August 2008 at 15:14 ·

Bleeding Truth on Paper

2010-05-25T10:01:00.002-04:00

Misael Rojas : ..interesting (12 May 2009 at 23:44)

Hope Rd

2010-05-25T09:59:00.004-04:00

Dion E. Baker : I think I've found it! lol You've even got the apple and butterfly effects mixed into the scene! And you did this during the morning? Nice... 25 August 2008 at 11:33 · Eli : It took me like two hours- just reflecting on the most chill day ever... but I didn't finish it, I couldn't file it away.Speaking of apple... i need to have some with peanut butter, going shopping this evening I've run out of PB&J. Which apple should i purchase for the combo? 25 August 2008 at 12:25 · Dion E. Baker : Gooood question. Go with organic maranatha's, or woodstock farms. Crunchy (of course)!! Those will set you straight :) If they have neither of those, just find an organic crunchy and you'll still get the experience. 25 August 2008 at 12:30 ·

El Jardin Viviente

2010-05-25T09:50:00.003-04:00

LK: Is that me? That's beautiful! 10 August 2008 at 05:07 · You weren't joking when you said you were going to paint me. hehe =) 10 August 2008 at 05:08 ·

Eli those are rarely empty threats, but definitely they are often delayed ones :) 10 August 2008 at 08:22 ·

Anita: this is just amazing...me encata 10 August 2008 at 20:23 ·

Esperando La Lluvia

2010-05-25T09:40:00.008-04:00

Yayaa : so when are we going to start selling your stuff ? do you need me to become your agent of Sales........cause i will (10 August 2008 at 13:29)

Eli: hmm i need an agent but just for exhibiting, not ready for the selling part unless its a new comissioned painting (10 August 2008 at 14:57 )

Misael Rojas : more of a menacing feel..which is awesome (11 August 2008 at 22:05 )

Slava Yaryshkin :Very cool (11 August 2008 at 13:54) Yayaa :this is really coming together...love the color (11 August 2008 at 18:48) Eli : im done. there is no more coming together jaja (11 August 2008 at 22:10) Yayaa : I thought that after i posted my comment either way its hot...(11 August 2008 at 22:26) ·

Silence Burning

2010-05-25T09:28:00.004-04:00

Misael Rojas "a-stounding" (13 July 2008 at 02:41)