Time for a break

I need to take a little blogging break, I'll be back on Monday.

Just a page or two

This is a page I did for the Creative Challenge on my site. The prompt was I am all of these things. I had done the background previously with gelatos and just drew circles and started adding words, simple but fun.

On this page I was just playing with color, when I added the picture the journaling took over. That is embossed wall paper underneath the picture. The heart is an embellishment using black, gesso, colorwash inks and white gesso. These are both things we will be doing in my class Bodacious Backgrounds next month.

This is all I have time for today.  I hope you are all having time for art today.

Some great finds

Look at what I found at Barnes and Noble. I got a tip from my friend Jolene. I had showed her the gelatos and how cool they were and she said they look like those gels they have at B&N. It looks like they are being marketed to different groups. These don't have the nice paintbrush or stamp so they are less expensive. When Jolene saw them they were near the teacher section in the store. When I got there two days later they were all gone but I found out they had moved them to the clearance section. I got them 50% off.  This set at 12.95 was a deal but at half price an even better deal.

I also got this set of metallics which were priced 6.95. Sorry about the blurry photo. They have a little sheen to them, don't really seem very metallic, but there was a purple so I had to have that color. There are 4 colors and then silver and gold. I was going to order them online so this saved me a bundle. So you may want to check your local Barnes & Noble. They are marketed as Gels, but they are the same as the gelatos. Thanks for the tip Jolene.

I also found this cool tape at Michaels for a dollar. I got a black one too that is numbers, it just didn't photograph well. I think it would be great as a design element in my journal. I am off to play with my new toys.

Faber-Castell Giveaway

You've heard me rave about Faber-Castell products, well here is your chance to win some of them.  Head on over to All Things Paper where they are having a great giveaway.  You could win one of these.

Or even one of these.

Wouldn't that just be grand. So head on over and enter their contest. This could be the time you finally win something.

Sunday Sketches

I awoke to find a new member in my flock. Some of you know I raise sheep and others don't. We had 2 of our ewe's die last year from old age so now we are down to just three Shetlands. It looked like they found a playmate.

Now this bunnie is cute but a girl has to have her chocolate so I am sure she is not long for this world.

Here is my sketch for Sunday Sketches. I was trying to make the writing in the background look smaller so it would appear to be the pattern in the wallpaper, but I think it could be even smaller.  I'll try that next week. To see what other sketchers are doing head on over to Sophia's blog here

Bodacious Backgrounds

Bodacious Background is done.  I am happy to announce my new class is ready.  Here is a little video telling you all about it.



Class starts May 16 and you can sign up here

Journal Spilling

I recently got a copy of this book. I was drawn to it because she uses watercolor a lot. I really feel watercolor challenged so trying some of her techniques really helped overcome that block and just play with the medium. She has some great exercises on dealing with the inner critic, something that often plagues me. There isn't a lot new in the book but just some ways of looking at things differently. There are sections on dyeing papers with inks that I am interested in trying too.  I also have never put the inner critic right on a journal page and that might be fun to do.

This was my first sample. I have a small traveling WC palette that had just a little bit of paint left on it. I didn't know what the colors were.  Over the past few years I have been buying some Daniel Smith watercolors.  I thought I would use up the paint and add the new colors. I have about 12 colors now so I think its time to start using them.

This was my second page, I love the swirly nature of it.  It reminds me of those pictures in space.  So maybe I can do watercolor after all. I need to change the thought in my head that says I am watercolor challenged. Now I am going to say I love watercolor and it loves me. I think that sounds a little bit better.

Do you ever buy and art supply and don't know how to use it?  How long does it take for you to really connect with it?  I got some new supplies in the mail today that I am so in love with.  But that is for tomorrows post.

A Simple ATC

I made this little ATC the other day. The background was made with ColorWash sprays and then stenciled using a doily. The collage elements are from a set from Zorana. It a set with an angels and birds. I  took the birds crown and cut it down a little to fit the girls head, used the angel wings for a dress and moved the words around a bit.  Its fun taking pieces of art and making them different, making them more your own. Sometimes when you don't have a lot of time for art, doing something small is really satisfying.

This past month I have been working on an Art Show for my church. We have quite a few fine artists in our congregation. I spent so much time working on the show that I really didn't have all that much time to do anything new for it. I just brought down a few of my handwoven scarves and a few older paintings. The opening reception was on Saturday.

Here I am in front of my little corner. I did get some nice comments on my work so that was nice. Around here if it not fine art you never get to see it. We had fine art, mixed media, weaving, pottery, and needlework. Everyone commented on how great it was to see things besides paintings. That was nice to hear.

Now I have time to get back to working on my class and then maybe some of my own work.