Little Art Journal Play

I am not an drawing artist and I freely admit it ... however I was pleasantly surprised that it turned out rather cute. Would make cute cards, eh? LOL

I was trying it out on paper b/4 I did it on a square glass ornament for friends as a gift. We'll see ......

I.AM.A.VENDOR

We did it .... (my daughter is my "marketing manager")
We are a vendor at Elderberry Place, 207 OFallon Plaza in OFallon MO.  Absolutely wonderful store that you must check out if you're ever in the area!

So my daughter did the pleasing arrangement for me on Friday nite and our first day of sales was Saturday morning ... we didn't sell a lot but we did cover the rent for December!  So everything else is just gravy for December!!  LOL ... it's really exciting to be doing this ...

Grandkid Ornaments 2016

So these are for the grandkids this year.  I'm not overly happy w/ them, but they are kinda cute.  LOL

Tis the Season

My daughter has opened an Etsy shop and asked me to put some things in there ... I have sold a couple which motivated me to make some stuff for Christmas:

So these are houses my dad cut out for me months ago .... decided to make them Christmas houses! 

these are little wooden pieces that will get some rusty wire hooks and become ornaments.  Thought they turned out GREAT!

and these are glass ornaments that I covered w/ torn pieces of gelli-prints.  LOVE!

Wanderlust 2017

I have been seeing this Wanderlust online class for the past year, wondering what it was all about, but thinking I just didn't want to commit to a year of videos, etc. blah blah blah

http://www.everything-art.com/Wanderlust2017/

And as usual w/ me .... today something clicked and I thought ...."hmmm I really should try this". So I conferred w/ my long-suffering husband, whom I knew would NOT mind me signing up.

His response ... "$105 for an entire year? You spend more than that on paintbrushes".

Nuh uh.

Anyway ... I took that as a resounding ABSOULTELY DO THIS RIGHT NOW!

And now I anxiously await the supply list .... I have a studio FULL so I can't imagine needing another single thing, but I think these classes go outside my comfortable little box, so I might be needing a few things here and there. I plan on putting them on my Amazon Wish List and telling my family to look there!

I also want to buy YET ANOTHER journal art book dedicated just for this class. LOL

Tip Holder for Mexico!

We go to Mexico every fall.  We tip.  We have heard the workers at the resort make very little money and relish the tips that are left by guest.  It's NOT required, as it's an all inclusive resort, but we get such excellent service that we always bring $$$ to tip everyone that gives us service. 
Anyway ... I leave an envelope on the pillow each morning for the housekeeper.  You can't just leave money out, cauz they will NOT assume it's for them ... so in the past I have just had a white envelope for each day we are there and I write on the front:  Gracias por su servicio!  (thank you for your service!)
This year I decided I had so many gelli prints that I'd make some cute little tag money holders.  I had printed on card stock, so I just cut out a tag shape, folded up to the hole, sewed the sides, used silk ribbon thru the hole,  and added a my Spanish phrase ... and our name on the back:

I love love love them!  I hope she does too!

Travel Journal

I had a friend retire from our company last month, and when we were quizzing her on what they were going to do, she said she wanted to visit every National Park in the USA.  I immediately thought "oooooh I need to make her a travel journal!"

The front and back covers are an old book I tore apart.  The "coffee stains" are a stencil, and I used Distressed Stain.  I thought it was kinda funny!  I covered the inside of the front and back covers w/ an old map of the STL area (where she's from)  Here are some of the pics:

I added a page in the back "Journal Prompts" because I'm afraid she won't know what to do w/ the journal.  There are lots of spots for pictures, pockets for tickets and maps.  I put it together w/ ring binders so she could add more pages later on.  We're going to have lunch w/ her next month and I'll give it to her then!

Vintage Market Days Aftermath

hmpft.


I wasn't impressed.  Oh yeah they had neat stuff,  but the prices were truly ridiculous.  Crowds were insane ... including strollers the size of a mini-van being walked thru the crowd and into booths, sometimes completely blocking entrances .... AND they'd stop in the MIDDLE of a walkway to check their @#$% phone.


Don't need to go back next year.

The Graffiti Row Houses Workshop

So I was incredibly disappointed in my art for this workshop.   We worked on a HUGE canvas (12x24 I think).  I was really looking fwd to doing that .... but I cannot pick colors and draw simple houses to save my life.

Anyway here are some close ups of portions of the canvas ... the portions I thought looked pretty good.

Yes there are PARTS of it that look great, but the canvas as a WHOLE truly sucked ... from the colors, to the placement of the houses .... I plan on gesso'ing the whole damn thing and starting over.

Grunge Ink Workshop - Jodi Ohl

So this was the Friday workshop w/ Jodi Ohl.  We worked on yupo paper, which are basically a thin plastic paper.  We used Golden high flow acrylics and a soft brayer, along w/ babywipes and stencils.

I was able to get those white markings by putting down a stencil and rubbing the opening w/ a baby wipe.  It took the ink underneath away and made a cooool mark!  I also put rubbing alcohol on rubber stamps and stamped that image into the paint, which also removed the paint and revealed the stamp's markings.

We made 5 paintings w/ this project.  My girls each picked one for their homes and they promised to frame and show in a prominent place!! 

What a GREAT Weekend in Paducah!!

So this is the studio of Ephemera Paducah. I swear this woman has my life (at least the one I dream of)!


    


In the front 3rd of her bldg (I didn’t take a pic) is her store. FULLLLLLLL of wonderful delicious supplies for mixed media! (yeah I spent $70 in there!) The back 2/3rd is pictured above. Plenty of room for people to work ….. she has a bathroom and a sink/frig to the left of these pics.

Upstairs is a 2 bedroom apartment (she and her husband own the whole bldg.). There’s a big patio in the back where we had lunch each day.  

The neighborhood is full of delightful old homes that have been rehabbed into residences and art studios. She told us 10 years ago the city wanted to revitalize the area for artists and they offered like no taxes, 100% financing, etc. etc. and a lot of people came in and redid stuff. Her bldg is new construction (the former home had burned) but the people b/4 her built this bldg. during that time period. She’s had it about 3 years (it was her 50th b-day present to herself!) LOL

Thank you Kristin!!! I will be back!

Weekend Workshop

So tomorrow morning my g/friend and I are headed to Paducah KY for a 3 day work shop at  Ephemera Paducah.

Instructor will be Jodi Ohl, whose blog I have followed for about a year.  She has a funky grunge whimsy about her art and I'm sure this will be a fun series of workshops!

Friday is "Grunge Ink" and Sat/Sun is "Graffiti Row Houses".

It's only a 3hour drive from STL ... works out perfect!!!  Kizzy and I are way excited!!!

A New Store in My Area!

So last week my DIL told me about a cute new store in our area that I just HAD to see, and HAD to sell my stuff in!  She's one of my biggest fans, so she's always encouraging me.

I went to check the store out last week after a dr. appt.  It's call Elderberry Place in OFallon.  She was right -- it's adorable and right up my alley!

I talked to the owner briefly, showed her a few pics of what I make.  She's not into any bright colors or cutesy stuff ... some of my art has gone that direction, but my original LOVE is primitive and distressed.  She liked a couple of my houses, so I told her I'd bring some things by next week and she could decide if she thought they'd work in her store.  I told her she won't hurt my feelings if she says it's just not a good fit for her store, but secretly I think it would .... but I can't be like that in this world of "retail".  LOL

Green heart is one of the houses my dad cut out for me from 1x6 -- the other is a 2x4 I cut out myself (on a freakin' chopsaw - I am nuts).

Her consignment deal is 60/40 (I'm the 60).  Doesn't sound that great ... but I'm making 100% of nothing right now as it sits in my studio.   So I have to think ... what the heck!?!?  Just put it out there and see what happens.

So I'm working on a few more houses this week ... and over the weekend I went to a flea market at Lake Ozark and found a few little items that would work for embellishments.  I'll put my nose to the grindstone this week and hopefully have something to take to her by Thursday.  She's off on Fridays ...

I'm also going to get my stuff from my SIL that goes to the Nashville Fleamarket ... She's been  backing off going and hasn't been doing any other markets, so I just want to get my stuff back from her and freshen it up .... and see what I have that might work for this store.

Saturday my daughter and I are headed to a SHED in Salem MO.  It's literally a shed of CRAP ... rusty, dirty .... and so so so much fun!  I hope to find some reclaimed barn wood, some rusty old hardware, some rusty wire .... good times!

DIY Repurpose Gift Bag!

Ok this project was soooooooo much fun!

I found Aunt Peaches http://www.auntpeaches.com/2014/12/painted-gift-bags.html somehow, in some crazy random search ... and fell in LOVE w/ her recycled gift bags.  I didn't take a pic of my original bag, but if you look close on the side you can see it's a kraft bag w/ metallic gold dots all over it.  (my sister's gift bag of choice for Christmas this past year so of course I hoarded them after the festivities!)

I want to make a stash of painted gift bags for future gifts (this one was for grandkid #7 for her 3rd b-day this weekend); however I really have a problem leaving the other 3 sides in the original print of the gift bag ... this one wasn't soooo bad cauz it was just gold dots on kraft paper .... knowing MY personality I will buy brand new kraft color or white gift bags to do this.  Defeats the goal of repurposing eh?

St. Louis Vintage Market Days

My husband sent me a text this morning that someone in his group sent him, saying "sounds like something you and your wife would enjoy!"

Vintage Market Days

So I bought tickets and we plan on going for the "Early Bird Shopping" event on 29 April.  I've never been  but have heard about it.  Looks like it's crazy busy, but I look fwd to spending the day w/ my hubby and enjoying the Fair.  We'll start the day w/ a sweet brfst (late) somewhere fun and then head over to the Fair!  Who knows what I might find?  I'm crazy cheap so I doubt I'll spend much, but you never know ... that special something that I just HAVE to have always shows up when I least expect it!

Better not take the vette on this trip!!

HOUSE CRAZY!

I do love making houses!!  I spent the day in the studio yesterday and had a wonderful time creating a couple more houses ...

This first one is a 1x6 that I cut into the shape of a house ... it's about 18 inches tall.  It seems kinda plain to me.  I stared at it for quite a while and just couldn't come up with anything else to do to it.  (yeah the "5" is crooked ... <sigh>)

And THIS house below was a bonus gift my dad gave me in a bag of houses I had asked him to cut out for me.  He had a little wood left over and decided to make me a 3D house .... and so yesterday I got to mess w/ it.  I think it's pretty darn cute!  The feet are actually beads!

Easter Bags for Grandkids

I finished up Easter Bags for the grands .... I used white lunch bags and gelli-printed on them, stamped their names up the side ... filled w/ goodies and stapled shut!  (want them to take them HOME and open them!!)

I love them .... thought they turned out really cute!

The Little Dream in the Back of my Head

Stumbled on this website during a search of 'altered wood' ....

http://www.inspired2create.net/

Eileen has my dream life .... if only I could win the lottery .... and quit my day job. <sigh>

So she has a studio in her basement that she hosts workshops.  Looks like her max is 4-5 people at a time ... she does sculpture and art blocks (which I LOVE!)  Looks like she only does classes on Thursdays and Saturdays, leaving all the other days of the week to create!

Anyway I have sent her an email asking if I can pick her brain ... I'm hoping she doesn't think I'm a freakin' lunatic.  I'd like to know how she got started, exactly how she hosts these classes, etc.

She lives in CANADA .... and so I won't be any competition to her at all ... LOL LOL

Alphabet Stamp Organization!

Ok so I came up w/ a solution.  I bought 2 clear plastic containers from The Container Store.  They have 8 compartments each and a clear lid.

So I separated all the fonts into AB, CD, EF, etc etc etc .... so now all I do is look for the compartment w/ the letter I want and fish thru all the fonts .... I realllllllly like this solution!

A Series?

HA!

So I found Shawn Petite http://www.shawnpetite.com/  a few weeks ago and have been "stalking" all her tutorials.  Wonderful stuff and I fell in love w/ a couple of her clock face art pieces, so I gave it a shot.  These are on 6x6 MDF thin board. 

I kinda love them.  They are a lot "plainer" than the ones Shawn did, but still I'm pretty proud!

On the "inspire" piece I used joint compound mixed with gray paint, and spread it thru the stencil to get the diamond shapes along the sides.

On the "enjoy the journey" piece I had started out w/ ink sprays and hated them, so I tried to seal them up and layer over them .... but layer after layer they bled thru.  You can see a bit of the purple on and around the edges of the clock face.  But typical of mixed media .... no mistake looks like a mistake .... it looks like I planned the purple!  LOL  I love the mix of letter stamps too ....

Which brings me to my next topic.  ALPHABET STAMPS ... holy colossal mess.  I don't know how to 'store' them.  I have managed to mix up all the fonts .... so I am not sure if I want to just get a box w/ as many cubbies as I can find and then just organize by letters (A-B-C in one cubbie, D-E-F in another ... etc etc)  Of if I try to keep the fonts separate.  argggh.

Making Progress ....Feeling better about myself!

My newest muse is Diane Salter ... http://dianesalter.blogspot.com/ ... the colors she uses just amaze and delight me.  And I love how she does gridline type work w/ squares of painted papers.  These two projects are the result of my attempt to emulate:

The houses are on a piece of scrap wood from my dad ... it's about 8 x 14 I guess ... looks a little plain to me (the sky?  the sun?  those stupid trees?)  It's time consuming to carefully measure the houses and the roofs, making sure the lines are straight ... and at the right angles.  But it was fun to do and I really tried to take my time on the details.  (yeah I'm not real good at that)

The 2nd one THRILLS me!  The picture does NOT do the colors justice.  They are vibrant and crisp.  It's a piece of thin MDF board (crazy cheap at Dick Blick)  Some is inspiration from Diane, and some from Lisa Kaus http://www.lisakaus.com/ ......  her colors and composition are amazing too!

So I feel like I'm coming along w/ this mixed media art thing.  I am easily frustrated when things don't turn out EVERY time I try.  But that's part of the learning process.  It's a flaw in my character (firstborn--we have a need to excel the FIRST attempt or we will quit fairly quickly) and I'm trying NOT to be discouraged and just press forward.  

I am my own worst critic ... just ask my husband.  LOL

Vino Van Gogh Nite w/ the Girls

Couple weeks ago I did a Vino Van Gogh nite w/ my sister-in-law and another friend.  This is what we did:

It was really fun to do and we had a blast.  Drank wine ... ate some appetizers ... laughed a lot.  Got our VanGogh on.  I was really pleased at how it turned out.  Circles seem to be my thing!

We want to do another one next time they have something worth while (this month is the Eifel Tower--seriously I don't want to draw THAT).  Also want to invite MORE g/friends to join us.  It would be great fun to have the whole thing to ourselves!  LOL

It makes me think a lot about my Studio Expansion Project (which I need to document here!).   It would be mega easy to teach this to my girlfriends, daughters, sisters, other girls in the family ... it would be so fun to have them in my studio ... drinking wine and creating art!

Silent Auction Items

I have been visiting a church in our area and last Sunday I noticed they were asking for Silent Auction items for their Trivia Nite on 14 Feb.  OH YES ... the lightbulb went off! 

I already had the mirror pretty much finished, and the house canvas only needed a little touch up:

I love them both so much!  I finished them up yesterday, bubble wrapped them and will take them to this church on Sunday.  I HOPE to drop them off somewhere w/o anyone seeing me.  Since I'm just visiting and not a member, I didn't want to leave my name and confuse them!  LOL

More Art Abandonment

Gelli Prints on deli paper cut into squares.   I think I abandoned the candle holder at the Fox Theatre, and the box at the dr. office waiting room.  I have dropped several things that I haven't pictured -- just finished altering some notebooks.  I think one of my BEST drops was at Hobby Lobby -- you KNOW those people will love art!!!  I left it in my shopping cart in the stamp section.

Gelli Prints Into Wall Art

These are pics of b-day gifts for my stepdaughter, and her oldest daughter.  Both were made using gelli prints I had cut up into squares.  I was able to actually do the script by hand ... which was thrilling!   Also did a bit of stamping in black for one and white for the other.   I was able to capture the exact colors my stepdaughter decorates with ... and well you can see how funky fun the colors are for our granddaughter's mirror (which is from Ikea!!)

Birthday Celebrations are at the end of the month -- cannot wait to give them!!!

 

Budding Artists

So these are the youngest of the 7 grandkids we have (so far!).  They are 2 1/2 and 3 years old ... partners in crime.  Last weekend we watched 4 of the 7 grands and this pic is of those two in their paint shirts (Grandpa's old workout shirts) getting ready to party in my studio.

I was not able to hold their attention for very long when we sat down w/ paint and brushes, but they are enthusiastic about their art .... until they see the shiny object on my workbench and then it's off to the races!  ALL our grandkids love the magic of my studio, all the paints, stencils, crayons .... The minute they hit the front door they are asking "Do you have a craft for us to do?  Can we go downstairs?   I want to paint!!!"

I'm ready for them to be OLDER so they can actually work down there for longer periods of time without opening every drawer and exclaiming WHAT'S THIS!?!?!  (however that means I too will be older) <sigh> 

Altered Notebook for Grandaughter

My darling little Ellie -- at the tender age of 6 -- is a crafter.  For Christmas she got a BOX of crafting supplies from Grandma and Grandpa.  I had a BLAST shopping for her!!  She was beyond thrilled and promptly went to the kitchen table and started working! (yeah no pics ... I suck)

So she turned 6 right after Christmas.   For her b-day she got a miniature tea set that belonged to her dad's mom (she passed 10 years ago) and I also decided to make a couple of small journal books for her.  She uses this size for "writing her stories" (gawd she's cute!)

I had a blast making them for her, and she was so impressed.  "you MADE these Grandma?"

<sigh>  out of the mouths of babes.