Spring in Bloom - ColourArte Featured Artist

Hi all!

My work is featured over on the ColourArte blog today - I hope you will go check it out!  I have done a full tutorial for you!

Be Accountable (mixed media art journal)

Hi all!

Holy snow days batman!  Pezza is finally back in school today.  I love her to pieces and we have had fun but I am glad to get back to my regular routine.  I do not get much of anything useful done while she is at home.  In fact it is the opposite of useful :P  Yesterday we had a little Minecraft Bingo party with some of her (and my) closest friends:

The kids had lots of fun!  We had little Minecraft figures for prizes.

I HAVE managed to get a bit of time in my studio.  The Mixability Mixed Media challenge last Friday was Static Electricity.  Not only did I decide to participate in the challenge and do a journal page I thought I would do a video for it too!  So if you are interested, it will appear in 2 parts at the end of this post.  I hope to do more so if you want to see them be sure and subscribe to my new youtube channel (my old one is wonderful BUT I have been locked out of it and still can't get access - BOO!)

"Let go of blaming anyone for anything, BE ACCOUNTABLE for your own life."

I think that quote is a great reminder.  It is something I have worked hard to keep in mind all of my adult life.  It was critically important to my recovery from drugs & alcohol.

This project uses a new product from ColourArte (my favorite mixed media line) called Radiant Gels.  You can see in the picture above the gorgeous shimmering textural look when I used the Radiant Gels with a stencil.  The gels are smooth and thick and buttery and the color and shimmer is amazing!  You can get them in 12 sumptuous colors!

I was inspired by the following challenges:

• Mixed Media Monthly Challenge - Something New for the New Year
• Splitcoast Stampers - Static Electricity

Let me know what you think of the videos.  I am working on trying to improve my lighting somehow....

Acrylic Skins - a tutorial for you!

Hi everyone!

we are having some seriously dreary UNsunshine-y days around here lately!  I usually don't mind winter much but this year - just ICK!  i think perhaps i am longing for the start of traveling season with our camper!  we have lots of fun things in the works for this year - can't wait!

of course i may be grumpy because i am missing CHA for the first time in years!  i can see all the new stuff online so that's no big deal.  i miss the PEOPLE!  all of the friends and fun that only happens once a year - BOO!

I am part of various artist groups online and one of them has brought up the topic of using acrylic skins in mixed media work.  A quick search in Google images came up with all sorts of beautiful things.   The idea seemed intriguing so I thought I would give it a whirl!  Rather than using plain acrylic paints I had to step it up a notch and decided to use Primary Elements Pigment powders and Gel Medium to make them.  Once the skins are dry they have a unique elastic-like material which can then be cut or torn and used in collage work.  Here are the steps I followed.I chose 3 colors for each skin.

Place a small pile of each powder on a non-stick surface.

Next put out a pile of Gel Medium alongside each one,  Use enough to ensure you are able to make a skin the size you want.

Mix really well!

Use a pallette knife and spread the paints across a piece of freezer paper (shiny side up).  Overlap and blend the colors into each other but keep them discernable to give the skin some interest.  The thickness can vary.  The thinner it is the more transparent it will be once dry.

Because gel medium is a milky white when wet as you can see in the center of this piece.  Once dry it is crystal clear and you are left with gorgeous brilliant color and because they are done with Luminarte Primaary Elements the color is exceptional PLUS the added bonus of oodles of shimmer!  Coax the edge up and then gently pull it from the freezer paper.
Here are our finished pieces.  In addition to regular gel medium you can use some of the specialty mediums such as Ceramic Stucco or Glass Bead Gel.

The Ceramic Stucco gives a sandy texture...

Here I used Glass Bead gel.

Pezza joined in and made her own set of skins too.

 

she picked her own colors...

and did her own mixing and smoothing (and yes she was in her robe but i couldn't resist the pics!)

we also have a new foster kitten, Fred.  Bubba has really missed having a baby around to play with and he and fred have made fast friends.  so last night while we were watching tv i, the cat LOVER sat on one couch alone and this is what was on the other couch with hubby the cat "tolerator"

really!?!?!?!?  you can see fred - the little black one - sleeping right up close to bubba.

Now to see what we can do with these skins!  Stay tuned!

FaveCrafts Product Review - Fiskars AdvantEdge punch

hi everyone!

quick post for ya on a Product Review I did for FaveCrafts.com on the Fiskars AdvantEdge Punch System.  if you are OBSESSED with punches, especially border or ribbon punches, like i am then you will want to check this out!  i started by making a couple of cards:

just look at those intricate ribbons across the middles!  to see the full review and a how to on these cards head over to favecrafts and check out my review as well - AdvantEdge Punch System.  In addition you can check out my video demo and tutorial from the Favecrafts you tube channel!

i will be sharing more projects with this tool in the coming weeks.  i have to add that after doing all of my projects with this tool i went back to some regular border punches for something else and wow did i really miss the advantedge method!

art journalabella & tutorial

T minus 2 days and counting!  i made my last grocery run for turkey day cooking yesterday.  today - massive housecleaning and wednesday the cooking begins!  today is also pezza's last day of school and hubby's last day of work before a 5 day weekend.

we had Daisies yesterday and i discovered that a number of the girls in her troop actually live in our neighborhood!  i see future playdates!  our neighborhood is huge and has a shocking number of kids in it - we have 4 school buses for our neighborhood alone :P

i have a fun post for you today - at least i hope you'll think it's fun!  i mentioned yesterday i would be doing an art journal tutorial for my stamping bella challenge journal page.  i based my page on a meme floating around on facebook recently that is so totally where i am at on most days:

the stamping bella stamp is an oldie but goodie - stamping bellas were some of the very first stamps i ever got!

i stamped the image on a page in my sketchbook and colored it with Prisma pencils.  i added some final sparkly touches with my Spica pens because Bellas simply MUST sparkle 

My background includes layers of yummy sparkle too - so lets see how to do this page!

The key to art journal/mixed media is in the layering.  but staring at a blank page can be intimidating!  so i started with some pages from a music book and a french book

I use matte medium as a glue and i love it.  i put some on my journal page, lay the book page down and then brush another thin layer over the top.  this also helps seal your page so wet media doesn't soak through.  whether you completely cover the whole page with matte medium or not is up to you.  if your page was gesso'd first then it is already sealed.  but know that your next layer of color will look different over the matte medium covered areas and the areas with none.  and that can be perfectly fine - just adds interest!  i covered mine completely for this page.

next we need to add some color - but what colors?  color choice is critical because it can make or break your page.  i have some color scheme references in another journal so i referred to those.  a FABULOUS place for color scheme ideas - Design Seeds.  I will often print out ones I like and then experiment with different mediums to replicate the colors for future reference.  Another great source - your patterned papers which is what I used here

my sample splotches were done with Twinks but in this piece i decided to use something kinda new to me - Neocolor II artist's crayons - i grabbed a bunch that looked like they would work for my color scheme and then scribbled a bit on scratch paper to make my final choices

then i simply scribbled big patches of color over my book pages

 they are water soluable and some are even metallic.  they are a quick easy way to get some color onto your page.  Next i just dipped my finger tip in a bit of water and smeared the color (Em's challenge on stamping bella was to use your fingers!) 

 
i did each color seperately and just blended the edges a bit - otherwise i would have ended up with a page that was all one color and quite possibly the color would have been mud

so we now have TWO layers on our page!  but we need more!

I have added TWO more layers here.  I like a page with a bit of texture BUT anything you do after that will be lumpy and bumpy so on this page i did one more flat layer first - the larger sort of glowing circles.  SUPER easy - bubble wrap stamping with Nutmeg Silks acrylic glaze.  to do this I just cut a piece of bubble wrap about the size i want.  then i put a bit of Silks glaze right on my craft sheet and spread it out a bit - you want a thin layer, not to thick.  now press your bubble wrap into the paint - you may need to press, lift, move a couple times to get it on all the areas you want.  then just lay it onto your page and press gently then lift off.

My final layer is the raised burgandy metallic tiny dots.

i NEVER get tired of that!  it is Viva Decor Modeling Cream in burgandy.  those crisp raised edges just make me happy!  so how do you use it?  easy actually!  in this case i wanted tinier dots than my bubble wrap so i dug up some sequin waste and used it as a stencil but ANY stencil will work.  Next I placed the sequin waste on my project and used a plastic pallette knife (or you can use an old gift card) to smooth on the modeling cream.  this can be a bit tricky at first so you may want to practice but you will pick it up in NO time!  really the less you mess with it during the smoothing on process the better!  i did place my image and wording on the paper before doing the modeling cream so i could be sure i did not put it where i was going to glue those things on or they would be lumpy and difficult to glue.

I edged the pieces with distress ink so they wouldn't be stark white against the backgroun but distress ink is water soluable so when i used the matte medium to glue them down i had to be careful not to get it on the front.  of course i could have also sprayed them with Workable Fixative which would have sealed them and that is a great trick to use anytime you have a water soluable layer and you want to work on top of it without messing it up!  i wanted to set the image and words off a bit more so i used a black pen and just drew lines around the wording and doodles around the image.

so what do y'all think?  who is ready to dive into their art journal?  and though I don't have any (yet) Em at Stamping Bella has added some great art journaling stamps to her vast array of stamps - you should check them out!

i love cake!

woohoo it's saturday! 

this is a no big plans weekend for us.  which really just means we aren't going out of town but i don't think we ever have nothing to do on the weekends!  Today we are going to my newlywed brother in laws for an open house type party AND my poor broke little son is coming over to help me with some stuff here to earn some money.  Tops on the agenda - moving my entire studio up TWO flights of stairs ACK!  i sure hope i like the new arrangement!  i am also going to use his brute strength to help me with some things in the yard.

My tiny babies came home yesterday from getting fixed and guess what - poor little taffy has pneumonia AGAIN.  Sweet little thing just wanted me to hold and cuddle her when she got home.  she has a little swelling at the incision too.  the other two are doing well.  especially the boy - he is completely unphased as surgery for the males is so minor in comparison to the females.  so i have to pick up a nebulizer for taffy and give her more antibiotics.

as i was thinking about sitting down to write todays post i thought i should start by apologizing - i think i have some sort of split crafting personality disorder or maybe crafting multiple personality disorder.  i probably have a hard time keeping followers because no one knows what i might post next from traditional papercrafting to crazy mixed media stuff to jewelry to crochet to cake making YIKES!  i am a bit of a mess!

so today we are taking a break from crazy mixed media adventures for some traditional scrapbooking.  i am SOOOO far behind!  i do videos for FaveCrafts and have a slew of them lined up and this is the first installment of my most recent list.

i ALWAYS use sketches when i scrapbook.  ALWAYS.  i love them!  i love them for two main reasons - without them i would spend a ridiculous amount of time trying to figure out how to lay out my pages and all of my pages would end up looking the same.  this layout uses a sketch from Page Maps - my all time fave place for sketches.

i used my Cricut machine for the diecuts - a bit of a frustrating experience after using my Black Cat cutter so much but alas the blade is dull and so i switched to the cricut.  i DO love the cuts i can make but i have gotten use to doing ALL of the designing and sizing on my computer and then just cutting all at once.  i could do that on my cricut IF i could ever figure out how to get the cricut craft room to work!  i have yet to get it to communicate with either of my machines and customer service has not been much help :(  BUT now that i have a new computer i may re-visit and try to get it to work because i really like all of the cartridges i have!

i jazzed up my die cuts by inking the edges and adding stickles and ice stickles!

i loves buttons!!!!

i didn't have as many pictures as the sketch called for so i added a stamped image - this is an ANCIENT stamping bella stamp i colored with my colored pencils.  how i love my colored pencils!

my video shows how you can take a sketch, interpret it and make it your own - hope you like it!

enjoy!

video and news!

hi all!

boy oh boy have i got a packed schedule getting myself together for cha - i leave friday morning! monday pezza and i went out for big girls day out - i needed to get my hair done (buh bye gray roots) and she was off from school so they said to bring her along.  we started at starbucks and sat by the fireplace with a little snack.  of course she insisted she needed her hair done too and luckily they weren't busy so the girl really laid it on for her.  her fave part is the "hair bath" which she giggles hysterically through.  then i couldn't see her while they were doing her hair but it seemed to take a long time.  well when she rounded the corner back to where i was she was not only trimmed up but blow dried AND CURLED - hot stuff i must say!  oh was she pleased with herself.  she colored for awhile but then got bored and started wandering until my girl came up with an idea and suggested she fold the load of towels they had just washed.  well she was all over that and did great.  charmed everyone in the place of course as she can be really good at that when she wants to.  next we hit famous footwear - i found nothing but she ended up with tennies and boots both on clearance - sweet!  then met with trev for lunch at cici's - he is struggling, trying to change jobs and general eye-opening this is life and roommates suck kind of stuff.  but he is doing well and such an awesome kid!  next we headed to the bare minerals store in the mall where i got a few new eyeshadows and pezza dipped her finger in all the samples and colored her hand like a rainbow.  then she asked the salesgirl if she had any lipstick because she explained - her chap stick at home had no color.  so the sales girl put on some lipstick and boy was pezza thrilled.

i have a pretty packed schedule - saturday morning is business seminars and then i am meeting up with a super talented long time friend and ex DT for me - sandy dunne coming all the way from ireland - i cannot WAIT to meet her!  i think we may go to suzanne's copic class to heckle from the back of the room.  saturday night is a mixed media workshop with basically bare albums.   i am also taking another mixed media workshop and a workshop with luminarte - YAY!  the MOST exciting thing is that i am helping out for crafters workshop stencils as usual and i just found out i will be helping in a workshop they are doing with julie fei-fen balzer - SHUT UP!  i LOVE her stuff and her style and cannot wait - it is called collage 101 and i am betting i will be picking up some great info as i help her out!  all of this will be perfect timing because i am heading up a brand new challenge group over on Color Me Creative!

Mix It Up - Mixed Media/Altered Art Challenge Group

This is FREE to join - not a paid class (that will be launching in early spring!)  we will have a new challenge every 2 weeks as well as lots of opportunity to chat about tips and tricks, ideas, tutorials and maybe even some prizes from time to time!  we will have a kick off party on the main page of color me creative on feb 8th!  but head over NOW and join the group!

finally i DO have a project and video tutorial for ya today!  speaking of mixed media -

yep mixed media is as simple as just using a variety of mediums when you create - so here i have created a shimmering background with perfect pearls and stamps.  here is a video showing how i did it:

 {hubby is making fun of me right now because i am apparently typing with much determination over here...}

next i stamped my main image with versamark and embossed with clear embossing powder.  after melting it i painted over the image with twinkling h2os.

this was a fun card to make and pezza and i made quite a mess creating with our different supplies.  i like art best when it is free and fun and MESSY! 

so head on over to the group and join me - even if you have never done mixed media stuff before!

tutorial: colored pencil layering

hi all!

so did y'all notice i finally got my blog xmas decor down?  sheesh!!!   so pezza is developing yet another bizarre quirk {psychosis???} she is becoming overly obbssessed with germs and handwashing.  which is going to make me nuts.  luckily she has not reached monk-stage but still.  to top it off i am a firm believer in the HARMFULNESS of all the antibacterial soaps and gels and i don't like them used.  {this article explains my thoughts for those interested}.  the "wash your hands" message is so over-abundant i don't know how i will ever drag her back to reality.  anyway, my child of extremes is at it again and it is causing some issues which result in mommy having a headache :P  anyone else out there with thoughts on this?
 
we are taking it VERY easy today and are still in jammies.  ok well i am still in my jammies - pezza the wonder tot has a terrible time staying dressed.....i can hear the wind outside so i figured we would be better off in doors and coloring instead!  i store my colored pencils by sets/manufacturer in a plastic drawer bin.  this way i can grab the one i want and take it upstairs with me and color in the sunroom while she plays rather than while she gets into all of my craft stuff.   so while i was sitting there coloring i thought i would take pics along the way and do a little quickie tutorial for you on how I color (there are more ways than one - this is just mine).  i am using the same adorable little lili of the valley stamp {my step mom and i just ordered a bunch more today - cannot WAIT to get them!!!!)  so here are my steps - i used polychromos brand on this one but it is the same no matter what brand you use.  but first a couple things:

• i DO NOT use Gamsol/OMS - i do not find i like the look nor do i feel i am terribly good at it.
• colored pencils are MADE for LAYERING - so layer layer layer.
• in order to be able to layer you MUST color LIGHTLY - don't press down to hard on your initial layers so you can build up your colors.

i start from dark and go to light most of the time {exceptions are hair and skin}.  so here you can see i have taken a dark red color and begun marking in my darkest areas.  i do this gradually - very light at first and layering the darkest darks.  you can see the color in the pic above where it is pointing to layer 1.  i wanted to brighten the color up a bit so i got a brighter red and went over the same areas blending it out a slight bit more - you can see where i began using the second color where indicated above by the arrow.

 here is another look at the difference:

on each side are the 2 colors alone and in the middle is the first color on the top row and then the second color layered on top in the second row - doing this gives you additional depth and realism to your work.

now i have come in with a lighter pink.  again i did the first layer of it very lightly - where the highlight is the lightest there is barely any pink.  then i did a second layer of it to smooth the transition from dark to light.  i could easily leave it at this point as complete.  sometimes i do and sometimes i blend - it kinda depends on my mood.

when i DO blend i use the pencils.  i began blending in the lightest are by going over it with medium pressure using my white pencil.  then i blended further in to the dark with a derwent blending pencil.  in the pic above the shirt is blended but the skirt still is not.

after blending i add more of the dark color in the dark area to deepen it back up.

this is her all colored up - one thing i don't like about blending this way is that the black lines are dulled.

you can't tell the difference too much onscreen but the last step is to spray your piece with workable fixative - it takes some of the dulling wax buildup away.  i also added stickles to her :)

so what do y'all think?  was this helpful at all?  i sure hope so!  now back to my leisurely day of coloring!