Crafty Time...

Last weekend was crafty time with the girls but first we all went to art journaling with Mary Freeman. It was fun to watch the girls get into it. My friend Rebecca (scrapbooker) has gone with me a couple times but this time we were joined by Misti (another scrapbooker) and Stephanie (likes to Zentangle).

I recently started another journal but a much larger size. I'm enjoying having all that room to work although I was initially afraid of all that space to fill in.






This page ended up much differently than it started in the colors. The beauty of paint is if you don't like it just cover it up. I still want to add some words so it isn't done yet.

After a lovely lunch and a trip to the art store, the rest of the day was spent with each of us working on various projects and enjoying each other's company. I'm addicted to Gelli plate printing so worked on that.












This first round was using an idea from Jane Davies where she sets up a color/pattern on the plate and prints on sections of various pages and overlapping as she goes. I'm definitely going to try that again.


This one is a combination of a page I used for cleaning the brayer and then added some printing.


This one was printing layers using the whole plate and a large stamp, a stencil and hand cut masks. I really like this method but want to branch out more.

Next step is to collage with Gelli plate prints.

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I'm Gellin...

I'm having a bit of time off today for MLK Day and really should work on work stuff but having creative time instead.

I pulled out my Gelli plate and started playing. Needed some inspiration so checked out Pinterest for a bit and saw a new video available from Gelli with some great tips for painting layers. Check it out here.







I decided to give it a whirl but with a tree. I'm not done but here's my progress.






These are the other two I started. Hopefully more play time next weekend.

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Art Journaling with a twist...

So much fun yesterday! Started the day with driving through a monsoon to pick up my bestie Rebecca and then head to art journaling with Mary Freeman.

The challenge was to decorate a box to hold thoughts and dreams for 2014 to be opened at the end of the year. I haven't sat down to work on a perspective for 2014 but the box is ready.






Trixie thought the card board would make a good chew toy.









After class Rebecca and I met up with Mom and Sis (Sherri) for lunch and then Sis and I finally went to see The Hobbit. Loved it but it was funny when the entire audience protested at the ending that left us all hanging.

After the movie we headed back to Rebecca's to collect a table and chairs she gave Sherri and to help her put together one of those metal shelving units. Of course after getting all that done, table delivered and errands run it was te to eat again. All in all a good day with creative time, fun and fellowship.

Last weekend I also played with the Gelli Plate and created some monoprints I forgot to post. Probably going to do more with them but here are their current states.



This one is ghost prints.





On this one I outlined the stencil image in white to highlight it. My next step is to see if I want to add some collaging to it.

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Merry Christmas!

Wishing all a blessed and joyful Christmas.



This year I made monoprints with a little added splattering since I had so much fun with it at Art and Soul. I love how each one is a little different.



On another note I have a big wall in my foyer that I've been trying to figure out what to do with. Found some picture shelves at IKEA and made an art gallery out if it. That part was Mom's idea and I wanted something that would work for changing art. Hopefully I will get myself in gear this year and sell some of it.



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Having a blast...

So a little catch up on class projects this week.
Monday - Gelatin Monoprinting













Tuesday - Wabi Sabi Encaustic





Tuesday night - bracelet using copper and cut up gift cards


Wednesday and Thursday - making papers and Wabi Sabi collage









Wednesday night - Monoprinting collage





Just a wee bit tired but having fun and making new friends. Off to bed to start a little fresher tomorrow.

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Play Date...

Today I managed to set out to find the hotel gym and get in some exercise.  I'm such a good girl!  After a shower, leisurely breakfast and leisurely morning, Erin picked me up to take me to her house to meet her lovely family and see all her artwork.  After the grand tour we settled into Erin's studio to have some play time.  Erin worked on a piece she started before that is turning into a graffiti type and looks awesome.  This picture doesn't do it justice.

Erin gave me a canvas board so I could play too and I had a blast playing with modeling paste, a rug grip as a stencil and some fluid acrylics.  I also played with some of her inks to make the circles.

During our play time we were also joined by her two dogs and two of her four cats.  I've been missing my cats so it was nice to get to pet all her furry kids.  Her human children are cool too and it was a lovely afternoon.  Erin's husband made us a delicious dinner of chicken piccata, mashed potatoes and caprese with their home grown tomatoes, I'm such a bad photographer these days.  I should have snapped a picture of the crew at the dinner table and the awesome spread.  Erin's family is such a pleasure and it was a thoroughly lovely afternoon.

Now, to pull together all the supplies I will need for my class tomorrow which involves creating fabrics and papers with mono printing.  Can't wait!

Portland, Oregon...

Landed in Portland last night to attend Art & Soul retreat.  So excited to be spending an entire week learning and creating.  Today my friend Erin, who I met last year at Art Is You, picked me up for a day of exploring downtown.  She took me to many wonderful places including Scraps, a center where artists take their leftover supplies for resale, Cargo, an import store, Blick's and a few other places I've forgotten the names of already.  It was a windy rainy day or I might have manged to take more photos but I saw many wonderful things and bought some fun papers to use for collages.  We even popped into a cool store that has some of Flora Bowley's artwork so that was cool to get to see some of her originals.

Below is a pic of Cargo and some of my haul for the day.

Tomorrow I'm off to see Erin's home, meet her family and see her artwork in person.  So looking forward to it.  Tomorrow night is the opening party for Art & Soul.

Play Time Part Two...

Will wonders never cease!  Two posts in one weekend.  ;-)

Saturday I had a lovely art play date with Ann Bailey and her friend Patty.  We also spent some time with the rest of her talented family.  Click on her name above to see their work.  I decided to live on the edge and take my new blank 36x36 canvas and below is the resulting work.  I thought I might spend some more time on it but I've decided it is finished.  Now to decide if I want to keep it or sell it.  I was going to put it over the fireplace but it is too dark for that spot so we shall see.


At lunch time we headed out for some fast food and on the way back saw a family with free kittens.  We couldn't help ourselves and stopped to look.  Their poor mother was run over that morning and the family was able to collect two of the four kittens.  Ann had been looking for a kitten so decided to take the little boy and call him Artie.  My old grey cat Scooter had passed a few weeks ago so I decided I would take the little girl and name her Trixie.  They both had an immediate flea bath and fortunately they are young enough to not think you are trying to kill them.  I have a lot of experience with that through my teen years with indoor outdoor cats (before they had things like Advantage).  She is so tiny and such a little love bug.  I haven't been able to put her down for long all weekend.  The other cats are afraid of her even though she is a fraction of their size.  So funny to watch but everyone is slowly adjusting.


I hope everyone had a nice rest from Labor today.  Hugs!

Some Play Time...

As usual I am so behind on catching up. So a few weeks ago I had the pleasure of taking a Donna Downey class at a local scrapbook store, Altered angel. It was so much fun learning to use pan pastels. We learned to examine a picture to see what colors exist and created two pieces. The first was a recreation of an existing piece and the second from a photograph.






I've also bought a larger art journal book from Hobby Lobby and played a bit. The first I was in a pastel and stencil mood and the second is some color play.








This is a small collage I've been working on and I think I'm done.





I hope everyone has a safe and blessed Labor Day.

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Staycation...

Last week I had a lovely staycation.  I'm afraid I was very lazy which you would think would make me feel revived this week but alas no.  Anyhow, I had a wonderful July 4th with my family and I had a cooking bug so made a whole bunch of food.  See the spread below.  I tried a grilled skirt steak for the first time and although the flavor was good the meat was too chewy so probably will try a different cut next time.  I tried making Rosa Mexicano type guacamole and I think I came close.  Maybe it is always better when you get to sit and watch someone else make it.  ;-)

 

 

I did manage some creative time and started this 24x24 abstract painting.  Still not sure what/if I want to do anything else to it.  It looks better in real life since this was just an iPhone snapshot.

 

I also started a smaller canvas.  My original intent was to do a base of various papers and then layer in some paint but I just really like the papers.  A little wild and crazy but I like it anyway.  I have since added some ribbon to the seams and I'm going to look through my photographs and see if one might work with it.  We shall see...

While I was chilling the pets were chilling.  Of course they do that all the time but just had to take this picture of Tigger and Puppy.  Puppy tolerates Tigger but Tigger absolutely adores and loves Puppy so he is in his happy place. 

 

I hope everyone else had a wonderful July 4th full of friends and family and love.  Hugs!!