Early Morning Doodle

I think I need to work on different sides of my journey in art.  I love it all but the one skill that I have yet to master is my drawing skill and decided to start a art journal with experiment and practice all the way thru.  I sit her in my office/studio that i have been filling with all sorts of supplies and think will I ever use them to create something I am satisfied with when I realized that I am one of those people that find it hard to finish anything.  I guess I get it to a certain point and like it till that stage and have a fear of doing something wrong.

I think the best thing I could do would be to put a pencil to a paper and draw,  Really look at the shape I am working on,  This is something I should to do daily.  Its like anything else the more often you do something the better you are at it.

After I spend time on my art I think I need another english/writing course with heavy work on spelling and punctuation.  Yes life is an everlasting journey in education no mater what you are doing.

Going a New Direction or not...

I have been struggling with what I want to do with my creativity and have had a desire to rekindle my love of painting lately.  I spend a lot of time watching talented people on You Tube and can spend literally hours watching how people create.  In my younger years I always thought I wanted to become a painter.  Now I know that  everyone with a paint brush and paint can paint but to me a true artist is someone who steps back and feels some satisfaction from what is on their canvas is the true artist.  Each painting I do I hope that I get just a little sense of that from what I apply to what I am working on.  I think for the individual it is a life long quest.....

I want to mention that I have found a wonderful artist that shares what she does with others to try and bring that out in everyone.  I know that she has helped me rekindle that spark from years ago.
How to paint acrylic on Burlap Canvas from Hobby lobby The Night Garden art diy tutorial
Go and watch her video and hopefully you will take a little self confidence and satisfaction with you if you take the plunge into painting!!!

Here is my attempt with The Night Garden

I did this on a sheet of Canson's Canvas Paper

Parts I am pleased with and others I need to work on.... I am ok with that because it is part of my journal with creativity!

Repeat Stamping Clean and Simple

I don't know what takes me longer picking out the right inks or putting it on the paper.  Not a whole lot to this card but keeping everything lined up and layering the right colors took me forever!!! 
Must of took me three or four trys till I got it to what I thought was ok.  I think this is something that will take practice.  I did had a button and wink of stella to the waves though(doesn't show up on picture).

repeat stamping and Making a stencil

This card was made using a Heidi Swapp Stamp and die.

I repeat stamped the matt page with one of the stamps to get a pattern with two of the stamps that came with the die.

I then made a stencil with the die and stenciled it on to the next layer and used one of the stamps from the matt on what Ihad stenciled.

die cut one shape and stamped with another of the two stamps and popped that up with foam tape for dimension as well as the stenciled layer and added some enamel dots cause it just needed something else!!!

I am loving this clean and simple class!  It is inspiring to try new things and use what I have to design  a clean and simple card.

Water Color Look with stamp and inks (Copic Markers)

What can I say about my card.... other than I had a wonderful time trying different techniques to get this look.  I don't know about anyone else but i am a huge fan of You Tube videos and spend hours watching all the wonderful artist post that are out there in the art media.  

I was watching different artists make there own stamps out of various supplies and decided to give one a shot using fun foam.

I am going to love making these to use in art journaling!!!!

I stamped these with Simon Says die inks first and used my copic markers and blending pens to give the stamped image some shading for depth.  Using the blender pen with the markers gave the butterflies and background a water color look.  ( Jennifer McGuire you tube channel had a guest artist Dawn Woleslagle who showed all to do this)  

I used some Tim Holtz distress stickles for texture and punched out some little butterflies with liquid pearls on the body and a few spots scattered on card to pull it all together

I know I will be making this card more because it was very relaxing and I was able to make this look like a painting which I find very relaxing and  stress releasing!!!

Sending Love

Sending Love

Taking online clean and simple card class'

and this is the card I made using a water colored background with simple embossing.  I forgot I had this little envelope die and decided to pop up a few on the card to give it some dimension.

Day 4 of Watercolor for Cardmaker

I haven't watched all the video's for today but decided to try Julie Ebersole's technique she did with a pencil and distress inks.  I thought it was lovely...  I also found a butterfly die not just like hers so I had to put a piece of cardstock under my watercolor layer to give me a place to attach the butterfly.  I also took a lightly watered brush over the paper after I put all those dots on it.  Made for a lovely background I think!!  I never make get well cards and it seems lately I have needed a few so I chose a stamp sentiment I got from the dollar bin (studio g).

I am so enjoying taking this class and have learned so many different techniques to get a new look to my cards with the things I already have in my room!!!  So glad that watercolor is all the rave these days!!!

Playing with Watercolors and embossing folders....

 I would never thought of using my embossing folders for a background if I hadn't been waiting You Tube one of my favorite things to do for inspiration and ideas!!!  I have so many embossing folders and am very excited to find another use for them other than dry embossing.  Check out this video and see how I did this.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfr5FlCO8iI

I did use Tim Holtz Distress paints deluded down and then sprayed lots of water.  Water color paper worked very well with this!!!  I thought the thanks die from Simon Says Stamp kept this simple and went well with the Thanks embossing folder from cuddle bug.  Thanks for stopping by and let me know what you think.  I know I have been away for quite some time but haven't been blogging to much. But excited to be back!!!

Using a background done with watercolor technique from Watercolor Class

This card was inspired by Jennifer McGuire.  Such a talented inspirational artist!! You can check her card I used as inspiration at jennifer mcguire ink

I have been collecting so many differ supplies over the years that I never use but pulled out because of the class Watercolor for Cardmakers I am taking.  I decided to use ate die cut from Simon Says Stamp FALLING STARS and used watercolor paper.  I wanted bold colors so i used Tim Holtz's Distress Paints and stains and lots of  water deluded layers of color.  I did add the pearlescent liquid acrylic that added a lot of sparkle to the different layers.

     

  I used DCWV Glitter pater to cut the moon, stars and the background under the die cut!!!  Love how sparkly this is and no mess too!!!  The sentiment I did on the computer because I didn't have the stamp and so loved the sentiment!!! 

Here is the finished card!!!

I am so loving this class and have learned so much about color and blending to get a look yo like!!!

Time for a New Class

So excited to take a new class and learn and brush up on new techniques  I don't know if others are nervous when working with something new but I sure am!!
The class starts on Monday May 5th and looks to be a way to reinforce some old and new techniques.
 
Watercolor for Card Makers

I have done some of the pre course exercise and been playing with some of the supplies I have on hand.  Here is an example of one card I made using gelato's and my distress markers on a stamp by inkadoo's  I heat embossed the sentiment with navy embossing powders.

I am so ready to have some fun !!!
I think this will be a blast and open a wide range of ideas for my card making
(I think I need to take a class on photo taking though)

Shaped card using Cricut and Simon Says Stamps Card Kit and die

I haven't been creating very much lately with the busy life I have had taking care of my mother and aunt.  And needless to say another new grand baby came into our lives.  I miss it  and really want to get back at it.  So I decided to use some of the new supplies that I have been acquiring and inspiration from the videos I watch even though I haven't created!!  Here are three slightly different version of the rainbow shaped card I made using my cricut (so many cartridges and so many shapes I have)  and the March Stamp Kit, and you die from Simon Says Stamps!!

Such great products!!  So much you can do with them.  I did distress the clouds using Tim Holts Distress Inks.    What fun!!!  Now hopefully it will inspire me to create more because I have really missed this side of what I simply love to do!!!

  The above is a picture of what the insides of the cards look like.

Applying day 5 of Holiday 5 workshop

Well I have been busy at my little desk and it is sure a mess trying out some of the cards from Day 5 of the workshop.  Here are a few of the things I learned while making my mess.....

Liquitex  Modeling Paste does work like embossing paste.  It drys white and you can emboss with it while it is still wet.  Good thing because I have a whole jar and a little goes a long way!!!!  I also used some bling I have had for a few years.  Scrap what you have!!!

I need to do a better job in cleaning up embossing powder before I heat it though....
Made a stencil of a branch with my cameo....  so I learned to cut out stencils and it work quite well  
This should save me a little but it is nice to have the stencils out there because they don't take as much work!!!

I used my cameo to cut out the green paper with my tree shape!  and I also did not have a die for my banner which I found on my silhouette site but had a hard time with the star.  The stripe is a piece of scrap I found laying on my desk so I guess the mess was somewhat useful!!!  No stamping except
for the sentiment!!!  The tree is some washi tape I have from last xmas.  I think I might be making more of these!!!!

Catching snowflakes*****

Last season i bought this Sizzix snowman die on clearance and didn't have a chance to use it!!  I love snowman for the holiday season.  Snowman last well beyond Christmas!!!!!  I have been taking the Holiday Card Workshop and learning so much from each of the lessons and trying to incorporate an idea of technique from the classes in the cards I have been making.  I used a Martha Stewart snowflake punch and put some Wink of Stella (which I Love) on the snowflake and finished off with a Pearl in the center. Curved my sentiment stamp (new to ME) .  Used paper from last years Reflections  "Blue Christmas" keeping blues the predominate colors and it seemed to work with the touch of few colors for details.  All in all I think this has worked!!!  Off to make another and thanks for stopping by and taking a look!!!!!

Another christmas card..... a little stamping and die cutting to boot....

Playing with my stamps and a few old and new dies I have and never used.
This Holiday Card Workshop makes my mind work faster than my hands......

Card number 2 from Class 4 of the Holiday Workshop

I so enjoyed making the first card of Shari Carrols stamped card that I tried another using a different stamp set with snow flakes and got the inspiration of colors from MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS paper pad from MY MIND" Eye.  I am loving the Recollections Silver embossing bowser it really embosses smoothly.  I also found that you can use dazzle Versamark (which I got on clearance at a wonderful price) works the same as regular versa mark!!!  

This will be so easy to duplicate for multiple cards to send out!!!!

Day 4 Holiday Card Workshop 2013

Blue & Green Tree Cards by Shari Carroll

Layer Stamping and Embossing

I followed Shari Carroll's card almost to the tee but changed up the stamps.  I find that if I follow along I am able to use what is taught on something of my own to design.  I loved the colors on the cards she used and played around with the ink pads that I have.  All the little tips that are given in these classes make your cards turn out so much better.  I love watching the videos and following along. 

Second Class cards fromHoliday Card Workshop 2013

Haven't gotten thru all the videos for the second class and there is so much more to learn and do.  I really enjoyed all that I have watched and tried a few different ideas from what I learned today!!  I haven't tried modeling paste with a stencil but I see how this could become addictive.  It really gives some texture to your cards.  This lesson of the card is using your die cuts.  Up until recently I have used the Cricut and last year I invested in a Silhouette Cameo, so needless to say my wafer dies are few but I have been purchasing some recently.  Love Love Love them!!!


Here I the first card I made using the second video byDebbie Hughes as inspiration!!!

used the same background but added a die cut made with my Cricut and added a hand cut tree with sequin star at the top!!!

not quite finished but think i will put a pocket inside for a gift card!!!!

Thanks for taking a look!!!!

I am taking a Class

Well it sure has been a while since I have done any constructive work and I have really wanted to get back at it so I decided to take a class.  Today was the first day and I thought I would follow along with each instructor and duplicate as close as i can to the card that was made.

The first one was one Kristina Werner  * The pocket card

I didn't have her cute penguin stamp and this little guy would be so hard to cut out so I circle punched him after I used Copic to color him in and put a vellum pocket on the inside of this card .  Practiced those bows too!!!

Card number 2 was byJennifer McGuire  * Unique Fold

 Now on mine I used more traditional Christmas colors but this went together so fast and loved working on it I stamped my own background (most time consuming thing on card)  found some sparkly paper for the tree and added a star sequin on top,  I did use gold embossing on my sentiment and it shows up better than on the picture.  (Will be making more of these to send out easy and looks great!!!


Card number 3 byJoy Taylor

I did try her method of layering but couldn't get my silhouette to cut it clean might of been the paper so I opted to use my Distress inks and used three different colors to get the same look and be cause I didn't have the die I found a font pretty close and welded and cut the peace out and used the negative on the front and the word on the inside.  I used a different snowflake but all in all looks pretty close don't you think!!!!

I didn't get to the forth card but hope to get it worked on tomorrow won't be the same but I am aiming for pretty close.  Lots of ideas floating thru my head now and feel a little more inspired to try a few more .....

Bunnies are Peeps Too!!!

One of my favorite things about Easter times is  Peeps!!!!!Yummy!!!  And  marshmallow bunnies taste just as good!!  These were my inspiration for my card!!!

I cut the bunnies out and then applied flocking in different colors to give them a Peep look!!  Added some enameled dots for their little bunny tails.   I wanted to stay with the primarily white look but ran the bottom of the card thru an embossing folder for texture.    Simple card!! But used some of the tips that I learned about in Pattern Play to make it work for me!!!

Patternplay Day 3 Homework

My Picture is not the best but I am trying to make simpler and flat cards for mailing to try to keep the cost of postage down.  I used Kristina's lesson for this card and cut a circle and frame out of the front to let the sentiment inside the card show thru as part of the design.  I have this paper from K&Company for a long time and love the bright bold large colors and the larger prints in this pad which always seemed a bit much for a card.  This class has really big help inspiring different uses of paper that seems to pile up in my scrap room untouched and waiting for use.