Handmade art journal ~video

Here's a short video of my recently completed handmade mixed media journal. 

from my sketchbook ~ nature journaling

by Jane LaFazio

Spend a few days in Northern California for a wedding, and did some pages in my moleskine watercolor journal. 

by Jane LaFazio

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by Jane LaFazio

From my Sketchbook ~ a few days at the beach

by Jane LaFazio

by Jane LaFazio

Don and I spent a few days at the nearby beach town of San Clemente, California. Just 45 minutes from our house and a fine mini-vacation!

Me and Don in San Clemente, California

Rocks from the beach in my mixed media journal ~ by Jane LaFazio

the view of San Clemente State Beach from our hotel room.

Don's walk on the beach!

LavenderSage Art Retreat video

Here's a short VIDEO of my recent LavenderSage Art Retreat, held in Taos, New Mexico. 

Handmade mixed media book in progress.

by Jane LaFazio

I'm enjoying working in my studio again and feeling creative! I'm making a small, handmade, mixed media journal, as a prototype for teaching in New Mexico next year. Here are some of the pages so far. 

by Jane LaFazio

by Jane LaFazio

by Jane LaFazio

by Jane LaFazio

by Jane LaFazio

by Jane LaFazio

by Jane LaFazio

by Jane LaFazio

Louise Penny!

Manior Hovey, Quebec, Canada,  June, 2017

I'm kind of a Louise Penny fan. She's a Canadian author of a mystery series, most set in Quebec Canada. Do read them! and read them in order, starting with The Still Life. 

Los Angeles, September 2017

Saturday night, August 31, 2019 in San Diego, CA

Video interviews. Brain Injury and Caregiving.

Did you all know that my husband has had a brain injury since 1992. Twenty seven years of Aphasia, and disability. He was recently interviewed by Dr. Dan Gardner, physician and psychotherapist with advanced, post-graduate training in psychoanalysis. Dan lives here in San Diego, California, and was one of the founders of the San Diego Brain Injury Foundation, some 35 years ago. 

My husband was interviewed by Dr. Dan Gardiner. Here's the VIDEO.

And I was interviewed about caregiving, here's the VIDEO

Thanks for watching.

pieces of art quilts...in progress

by Jane LaFazio
about 5 1/2 inches wide and 28 inches long
work in progress 

Working on art quilts for my workshop at Empty Spools Seminars in April 2020. 

One of the pieces, in the above piece. By Jane LaFazio

5 day art quilt workshop in California in April 2020

by Jane LaFazio

Asilomar Conference Center, Pacific Grove, CA

EMPTY SPOOLS SEMINARS

April 24-29, 2020  SESSION V

I'll be teaching a 5 day workshop on the shores of the Pacific Ocean

A SENSE OF PLACE ~A FREE SPIRITED MIXED MEDIA ART QUILT

Join me for a mixed media approach to art quilts. Learn: simple sketching from nature, how to design and carve stamps, and free form mono-printing to create your unique surface design on fabric. You’ll combine your original elements into a totally one-of-a-kind art quilt that represents the beautiful area of Asilomar and Pacific Grove. Jane will guide you regarding color, theme, composition and finishing and show you how to add unexpected elements like found papers, tea bags and embellishments to your art quilt.  We’ll use our sewing machines to free motion stitch and sew. You’ll also learn hand embroidery stitches and embellishment. (A sewing machine will be be very helpful in class, but not necessary, if you prefer to hand stitch.) At the end of the creative and laughter-filled week, you will have created a beautiful color and texture filled art quilt that is totally you!

more info here. 

here's a video from the last time I taught at Empty Spools:

by Jane LaFazio

by Jane LaFazio

Published!

Watercolor and color pencil by Jane LaFazio

Published! Helen Burch has edited a number of illustrated books and she was kind enough to include my work in her latest Botanicals collection.

The collection by Helen Burch

I bought the French version, "To Draw the Flora," and Helen tells me the English version will be out in January 2020.

My page in the book 

A succulent wreath.

Paper succulent wreath, by Jane LaFazio

I'm a member of Craft Industry Alliance, a wonderful online organization. In their latest Journal, there was an article about this company and their sola wood flowers. 

So, I ordered the 2 sets of white succulents, using the directions on their blog, dyed them with diluted acrylics. Let them dry. Them glued them a wreath frame. All in one day! Hung it on my front door! 

coloring them with acrylic paint ~ Jane LaFazio

Letting them dry outside

hot glueing to the wreath

Hanging on my front door.

a short video and random updates

A little video about what I do.

Don, on our patio.

Since I'm home more, as my husband, Don, recovers from his Feb 25 car accident, I seem to be nesting. I ordered and assembled the patio furniture, pictured above. It's a great place for coffee or to read. 

I shared on Facebook that I LOVED this book!! I highly recommend it. 

Update on my husband

My sweet husband, after surgery, May 5, 2019

If you read my previous post, you saw that my husband recently went in for surgery on his broken neck, as a result of a very serious car accident on Feb 25, 2019. 

The surgery went well, and he was in the hospital 5 days. He's home now, recovering, still with a neck brace and walker.

We're hanging in there, and thank you for all your kind wishes and loving support. 

Life around these parts. April, 2019

Today, my husband. with BeBop on his lap

My husband is alive. He was in a very serious car accident on February 25. 

My husband's car accident on February 25, 2019

He was in the hospital for 5 days, and skilled nursing for 5 more. He came home with a 24/7 neckbrace (he broke his neck) and a walker, and a 14 inch gash on his head.

Each day he is getting stronger, and remains in good spirits and has a positive attitude. He has been having regular physical therapy and occupational therapy.

Since Don won't drive again, we are a one-car, one-driver family. We bought a new, small SUV a few weeks ago. 

I decided to post this today, because he's having surgery on May 2, and I'm worried, as you can imagine. They'll try to repair the pinched nerve in his neck, that is causing numbness in his right hand, and to remove the bone fragments. Surgery will be 5-6 hours and he'll be in the hospital 2-3 days. 

So, dear readers, please send us both positive vibes and strength. I'll keep you posted.

Milagros! new ONLINE workshop

new online workshop

Milagros!

Hand sew your own milagro (miracle) using felt, embroidery threads, beads and sequins.

$30 USD unlimited, life-time access.

Step by step lessons, with videos of tons of inspiring photos. Create a heart shape milagro, from the included pattern, or design your own!

Jane uses easy embroidery stitches and colorful felt to create these small stuffed treasures. Hang them on your wall, fill a basket of them, or give them away as a perfect, heart-felt gift. 

Perfect for adults and teens.

>>>> REGISTER HERE <<<<<

watch this short video.

And for a full MILAGRO experience, I've listed my handmade milagros in my JaneVille Etsy shop!

still crocheting!

My latest crocheted afghan. 

I used the  Neutral Chevron Blanket pattern, by Rescued Paw Designs and Vanna's Choice Yarn. 

And it's BeBop approved!

Art on Tea Bags.......tiny gifts

Just playing. Ink and watercolor on tiny tags. by Jane LaFazio

A group of friends are doing a tea bag art swap and I needed to make 11 pieces of art on tea bags. This ended up being an easy and perfect theme!

Pomegranate on a tea bag by Jane LaFazio

Lemons  on a tea bag by Jane LaFazio

Orange on a tea bag by Jane LaFazio

Orange on a tea bag by Jane LaFazio

Milagro heart on a tea bag by Jane LaFazio

I painted a patch of white watercolor ground, on the bags, and let it dry. Then I went in with pen and watercolor. Then, I used my sewing machine to stitch them onto a another piece of paper and added the little hand painted tag to go with.

Milagro heart on a tea bag by Jane LaFazio