Normalcy....NOT

Hi all!

I hope y'all have all fared ok in the northeast!  I hear it was not quite as bad as initially thought.  My son is in southern New Hampshire and still has power so I am happy about that!  All we got was a dusting and 2 more days of school cancellation (for all that is good and merciful please don't let tomorrow be day 3).  I started feeling a bit iffy last night and was petrified I had the flu that hubby had about a month ago but so far I am only mildly sick - because flu and school cancellation together would just be too evil!

I have an art journal page to share - I actually did it last Friday and was even going to have a video to go with it but I am stuck in an onslaught of technology hell at the moment that just won't let up!  My video camera wouldn't stop shaking, then my camera battery died when I went to download the pictures, next my computer gave me the blue screen of death and a boot drive error so I was scrambling to figure out how I was going to back up all of my files since we have been a bit slack in that area.  Hubby's computer backs up automatically but not mine.  So I decided to go with Backblaze in case anyone is wondering - it can take up to 2 weeks to back up so I feel like I have a ticking time bomb.  My computer has about 170 GIGS of files!  When I bought my first computer it had 4 MG of memory and the salesman swore I could never fill it up in a lifetime!  MY how things have changed!

Anywho, the mixed media challenge on SCS last Friday was to do something monochrome - this was one of those times when I had a GREAT idea in my head but it was tougher to translate it onto paper.

PERFECT saying for me!

Leslie over at ColourArte came out with several delectable new colors for the Primary Elements powders and I decided to go with Beachhouse Blue for my one color.  I used it a couple of different ways to come up with my page - the BRILLIANCE of Primary Elements - the versatility is mind boggling!

The base is watercolor paper so I didn't get as much warping.  I began by mixing pea sized amounts of Primary Elements and Gum Arabic into water in a mini mister and sprayed  my paper.  Once dry, I stamped using Gesso - I was really hoping the color of the mist would come up through the Gesso a bit but it did not.  :(  Next I mixed the Primary Elements into Glazing Medium and sponged it on through sequin waste for the darker circles you see..

Next I mixed it into Modeling Paste so I could get some dimension onto my page.  I scraped this on through another stencil.

I had a piece of "throw away paper" from my first attempt at a page I decided to use it to cut some flower die cuts to use.  I added a bit of extra stamping with a musical background stamp.  I edged them with the same ink pad and then added a glittering center of Gala Glitz - This is amazing stuff from Art Institute Glitter - a mix of colored glass glitter chunks, shards and dust plus microbeads.  The stems are Viva Decor Pearl Pen.

I rarely ever have so much white space on an art journal page!  I like it!  I also love all that delicious glimmer from the ColourArte Primary Elements!

I am submitting this for the following challenge:

• Stamping Sensations - Dies & Punches

Now if I could only get some scrapping done......

A fun new thing is hitting the shelves!

Hi all!

I hope you have all been having a wonderful Holiday season!  I must admit I am looking forward to a new year - this one has been a rough ride.  I am really hoping my new year includes more studio time.

Recently I was asked my a friend and Sizzix designer,Eileen Hull, to design some things for CHA using some of her new Scoreboards Dies.  May I present Artist Trading Blocks!

How cute are these little guys???  And really fun too!  To be quite honest I was a little perplexed when they arrived as it was something new to me but I decided to just dive right in and I had a blast.  Today I am going to give you a step by step to create the center one.  These will be on display at CHA in the Sizzix booth.

SO let's begin with Score Boards - what the heck are they???  Straight from the Sizzix Score Boards website:

"If it’s chipboard or mat board, then ScoreBoards Dies expand your creativity with quick and easy cuts and scoring. The first-ever product of its kind, ScoreBoards Dies produce sturdier boxes, pockets, holders and other ultra-versatile designs. Use board thickness from .040" to .055" for best results."

The Box dies create these boxes.  Super easy to decorate and a snap to put together.  The largest one is available now and the smaller sixes will be available soon.

So let's get started!  Here is what they look like nekkid!

You need TWO pieces to create the box.  Each piece has 3 sides and a tab on each end where your Score Tape will go to put them together.  you can see the score lines on each one.  Now when planning out your design line the two pieces up as shown so everything is facing the right way or one of your sides will be sideways (guess how I know :P)  Here are the steps I used to create my flower garden Artist Trading Block in the middle of the first picture.

I began by adding texture - I can NOT pass up texture pastes and stencils, nope, just can't do it.  This time I decided to do it at the very start using Modeling Paste.  Let it dry.

Next I gave it a base coat of Titan Buff acrylic paint - sort of a light tan neutral color.  Let it dry.

Now it's time for some shimmering color!  I took 3 Primary Elements Artist Pigment Powders by Luminarte (truly the grandest of things in my studio) in Apple Blossom, French Lilac & Wintermint & I mixed them with Slow-Dri Blending Medium - this just gives me a nice liquid glaze-type paint.  I randomly dry brushed them across the surfaces - I left some areas unpainted.

I wantd to give my texture a bit of extra pizzazz sso I very lightly brushed on Inka Gold in Old Silver across the raised areas with my fingertip.  If I used a darker color the effect would be even more dramatic but i was going for soft here.

I also added some embellishing.  I dug around in my misc. soft things drawer (really, there is no other way to describe it but I know exactly what I can find in there...) and I pulled out these felt die cuts and stacked them to make flowers - little glittered skittles int he middle.  Then took a black pen and doodled some additional stuff and even took the plunge and WROTE my little saying in  my own handwriting!  Not something I am usually comfortable with!

And then, because I couldn't resist (?) I added some bright pink highly textural "messes" here and there.  I mixed that same Apple Blossom Primary Elements Artist Pigment Powder into some Gel Medium and globbed it on in various places.  Then I sprinkled in some pink Gala Glitz (Fab stuff - you really need some!)

It is from Art Institute Glitter and is a mix of different sizes and colors of glass glitters and different colored micro beads - neat huh?

Hubby suggested my garden needed a little ground and I thought of just the thing - something I love but had not pulled out in awhile - Elements Earth Textures - also from Art Institute Glitter.  This time I dabbed on the Gel Medium straight and sprinkled it on - the gel dries clear.

And here is the finished piece - laid out and ready to glue!  I really like the way this combo of steps turned out too and may use it again on some flat pieces too - I am unsure how my little blocks will fare at CHA.

Past experience has shown me that CHA handling can be a bit rough!

I will post more about the other two ATBs soon!  In the meantime head over and check out what the other artists have been doing with these by visiting the ATB blog and Facebook page!

Taking back my life

Hey friends!

I posted awhile back about my battle to get off of some medication that was making me very sick.  I am still battling.  Depression is a real bitch.  A spiral really.  It's hard to make myself do anything, including things that I know will help me feel good and then because I don't do them I feel worse.  UGH.  Lately it has been particularly difficult and I have rarely even gone in my studio - which all of you know is CRAZY.  Not only that but I don't even wake up early enough to get in there anymore.  Is anyone here who remembers the days when I got up at 3:30am every single day???  Depression doesn't make sense either.  I have a great life, a sweet daughter, an awesome hubby - the first time EVER that I have had security and stability.  But it doesn't matter because depression isn't about feeling bad about something bad that's happening :P BUT I have GOT to shake this.  I have GOT to pull myself together.  I WILL beat this just like I did before.  I have never been one to lay down and give up.  I have had a rough life and overcome some pretty tremendous odds on a number of occasions - I can't get lazy about things now!  Hell I may even start another blog about it - not about depression cuz that would be...well, depressing!  hahahh!  But maybe one about all of the positive things I can do to pick myself up and take back my life.  I think I got lazy and it ends here!  So look for that to begin soon - I will let y'all know here in case any of you want to hop on over.  (Does anyone even read this blog anymore???)

Before I move on I also want to say my hubby is a SAINT for sticking with me through this.  I know I am no picnic right now!  Lord he puts up with alot!

I have been feeling stuck, unmotivated and un-artistic lately.  I decided that needed to stop and despite not having the money for it really I took the plunge and signed up for one of the online art classes that has been on my list for awhile (and boy is it a long list!)  I adore the whimsical fun look of artwork by Juliette Crane and began her Backgrounds and Layers workshop.  It was a bit outside of my comfort zone but I dove in anyway and it got me using a few things I don't use enough AND doing some drawing which I also struggle with!

Of course - being in my current state I hated both of my first pieces.  But I showed them to my buddy Suzanne and then posted them in the workshop group and gt a little encouragement so I am sharing them here after all and chalking it up to my questionable mental state!  tee hee!

 

 OF COURSE there's a cat!  I love the free, whimsical style of this drawing though contrary to what it sounds like free and whimsical can be a bit of struggle.  Pezza however, sat down and drew the MOST adorable whimsical owl when I was drawing - I was quite impressed.  I said How do you know how to do that so well?  she says You taught me.  Hmmmmmm....then why can't I do it as well?  Probably because I am not 6 anymore!  We'll have to take a look at her owl in another post.

And then because I am jonesing for Spring and it was part of the lesson - a happy little flower.

 

The backgrounds are a mess of acrylic paints, water soluble oil pastels, stencils, sprays, tissue paper, book pages, inktense pencils and even some chunky Art Institute Glitter!  That's ALOT of layers of ALOT of stuff and, as usual, my fabulous Stillman & Birn Beta series art journal held up under pressure!  I think perhaps I shall do more...though I may need a larger size paper to work on!  The new Stillman & Birn Zeta series is available now...waiting for it to show up at Dick Blick!