Thursday, July 30, 2009

BEE book

I did write and put this book together about a year ago or so but I never got it published. I did look into some self publishers (or as a radio show personality says, "vanity press") but it was still very expensive so I am thinking I will just print them myself on demand and maybe sell a few. I also have another children's book that is published and I sent one to Mary Freeman and she blogged it today. So sweet of her.

 Enjoy the BEE book!



Cone Flowers

I am really liking Cone Flowers now. I still love Poppies but these flowers are so fun to paint. I still love watercolor--I love how the paint disperses on the paper. Sometimes at night I have to go into the closet art studio and disperse some paint. This painting is 81/2 x 11. I think I will paint pink ones next.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

I Must Have Flowers





More watercolor background collaged and stitched flowers. I like this one better than yesterday's post. Will I ever not write on the right lower corner??---probably not. This must be my comfort zone although I do try to jump out of the bottom right corner box from time to time. And since I have it scanned I can certainly delete the lettering and just use it as flowers alone. But I am into a lettering mood these days....funky, whimsical letters.  I actually wrote it out first with traditional Italic letterforms and---not so good. That's why you have to write it out first or ---you're lookin' for trouble---calligraphy trouble....which includes any blunt object nearby to beat yourself in the head.

ALSO, look at Susan Clayton! She made a name plate for her mother's door at Hospice.  SO very proud of all my students!

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Selling my babies...




That might alert the authorities!! Actually I am selling some of my original art and books that are all my precious babies but need to fly out of the nest and live elsewhere. This one is the Stencil Book Two --Art Affirmations that I created about a month ago.  I am putting this one is Etsy today but only for a week or so. If it doesn't sell then I will grab it back into the nest.

Orange Stitch flowers

This is a watercolor wash background for the pedals and a much too watery script stamp in the background. Probably, the lettering could have been left off of this one but I think I just wanted to put the little dew drop on the leaf with a little faux crystal. Do you see it? It's not good with the scan and I tried to fix it a bit but that didn't help. I am also not that crazy about Tagore---what does this quote mean anyway???  Rhetorical question--
Bernie did a good job but I do think I need that walking foot. Hopefully soon. So if I had it to do all over again, I'd not use the script stamp and put just the lettering.  Both together makes it a bit busy but---it is what it is...art du jour!

Monday, July 27, 2009

This is beautiful!

Fannie Narte has created the most beautiful thing.  I love this.

Purple Dreams

I have done this technique before but when I was at Random Arts I got a sheet showing how to do this and it joggled my memory. It's so easy and fun. It's just a stamp spritzed with water after color is added. Even painting the flowers without the stamp cannot get this effect so---I do love it. I used a very small black Pilot G-Tec pen for the outline. I think cutting your own stamps would make it an original but this one is a Hero Arts stamp I believe.  This one is 51/2 x 5. Just a snippet!

 I will be adding other original or "Snippets, etc" to my Etsy shop today. To see what's new look here, and here, and here...

ALSO--- Calligra-FUN class update---check out Carol Sloan and Julie Bagamary---they are practicing and lookin' good. Carol has only done  one and a half videos out of the five---she got it quick!

Also look at Sue Krei!  Yep, I am very proud of my students!

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Mattie Lou and The Hat

 I went to the Riverside Arts Market which is a wonderful arts market every Saturday right here in our neighborhood. There are all sorts of art and great food--I had a French Quarter Beignet and all I can say is---YUM!!!  Nothing beats fried dough with powdered sugar! Actually I have thought of setting up shop there but I chickened out. There is now a long waiting list. The early bird gets the worm. Anyway, I bought this darling hat from Kathryn Page,
who is a fiber artist with the most wonderful things. Everything is made of French lace and silk and cut in strips and I was ouuu--ing and ahhh--ing just over the strips.  Her dad said he would save me their scraps---woo hoo.  I can just see these in books and ---mixed media stuff!!!  I don't know where I will ever wear this hat but I don't care---I just had to have it and I will wear it at the Red Door when I feel like being Mattie Lou (my muse inner artist self--- and grandmother name sake.)

ALSO---Hey and check this out--Julie Bagamary took a pic of her canvas bag while we were at Random ARts.
And ALSO check out Terry Stegmiller
She has a wonderful practice sheet she has done and I am so proud of her success!!  She has some interesting classes also---painting faces on fabric--hmmmm-sounds like something I might like to do!!!

ALso--Look at Sherry
She has a wonderful example of what she has done in the class and look at the fun flowers!! I am so proud of everyone!!!

ALSO--look at Ingela!  Incredible!!  I am just busting with pride for my students!!

Update "Twitter" Blog Alert #2

Well, I am a proud teacher for sure! Check out Sue Bleiweiss! She is doing such a great job and oh, my goodness---check out the box she made for her markers!  Then while you are at it you canscroll on down and check out her batiks. She is a great teacher too so be sure to check out all of her online classes on her blog. 



Twitter Blog Alert

What is a Twitter blog alert? ( I just made that up) Well, I guess it is an addition, addendum or a PS to today's post. I just wanted everyone to see a wonderful example from Sherry who has taken my class and has had great success. Check it out---I am so proud of her!

Big Bernie and some stitches


I made these while up in Greenville while my daughter was bathing, feeding and putting the baby down. I had nothing but a few scraps and her Big Bernie--hers is great but I love my  little Bernie. She does just fine---except she doesn't have that great foot that sews on buttons. Oh well--can't have everything. Or maybe I can---maybe I just don't have that foot---hummmmm...how many feet do we need???!! I found out that what I really need is a walking foot. Ok--that's the next purchase. I also went back and embellished with a black Pitt pen--which may or may not have been a good thing. It was pretty cute without the black too. 
It was a fun quick project-about 20-30 minutes each. Macaulay had to sew on the button for me---with that great button foot thingy.






Friday, July 24, 2009

Blog Friends Gathering at Random Arts!

We had so much fun at Random Arts with Julie Bagamary, Carol Sloan, Sally Casper  and of course Jane Powell and Jen. I only had a Flip video camera---I was bummed that I forgot my camera.

Take a look at everyone's blogs today more more stories and pictures about this wonderful time!!!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Me and Good Buddy Betty Lou


Macaulay and Little Marc have been in Jacksonville for a few days. We had such fun. Marc is so precious and just lets anybody hold him with a big smile for everybody. This is my good buddy Betty Lou holding Marc.

Now we are back up in Greenville, SC. (whew! a long drive!) and I am going somewhere really FUN and ARTSY tomorrow to meet blog friends!  Can't wait to tell you about it.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Calligra-FUN Started Today!!!

I am so excited to get started with the class today!! If any of you who are taking the class need to email me or send a blog comment question that will be just fine--or you can comment me in the ning site. I will be glad to help you in any way!!! 

Monday, July 20, 2009

More Stitch Flowers


Here are two more stitch flowers. I used a watercolor wash background, cut the flower shapes and pasted them on then stitched around the flowers. This is very fun! These are about 6 x 9. I am getting better at changing out my thread in a flash. That's important!  On the top image I think I will write a little flower quote or something in calligraphy---I did leave some room for it. 

Calligra-Fun starts tomorrow!  It will be an ongoing class so anyone can sign up to take the class at any time and view the videos at your leisure as many times as you would like. 

Also, if you are taking the class, please know that you can always leave a comment here and ask me things about your progress or you can email me --or you can leave a question or comment within classroom Calligra-Fun ning site. Let me know if I can help you in any way. Thanks!!!

Birthday girl!


Happy Birthday, Lori!!!

Friday, July 17, 2009

Calligra-Fun Starts Soon

Hi! Just wanted to thank everyone for signing up so far and I am so looking forward to the class getting started.  I am only an email or blogpost away so  if you need any help at all or need any questions answered please don't hesitate to contact me. I love helping people learn to write with beautiful letters so--don't be a stranger!!!  :)

Paper Scrap Flower



I had some paper on my table that kept catching my eye but it was just a practice scrap that I had experimented on to see if I could write some calligraphy with a pointed nib over watercolor after clear gesso was applied. (yes, I am glad to say this works!) The experimental paper was colorful and interesting but didn't have much of a purpose so I decided it needed to be a flower. Bernie and I had fun! This one is 6x10.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Two more Altered Photographs



These are the same pears and pepper from yesterday's post with the photograph. Neither painting was working because I was trying to make it too realistic. I was about to RIP then I thought, "ok, can this painting be saved"? That's what I usually ask myself before I RIP. So you know what my motto is---"when all else fail---PUNCHANELLA!! Well, that helped me start to turn them around. They are about 5x7 and ok---saved...

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Instructions for Line drawing in Photoshop


There are several instructions on Youtube but I thought this one was the clearest. It's not hard at all.







Well, the Art du Jour really went in a different direction today.  I love to read my zines and I was reading in the current of Cloth paper Scissors issue that is a great article called Photo, Paint, Stitch by Kelli Nina Perkins. I love this process of taking a still life picture and sketching the outline and adding your own paint colors. Love that book she made too.  So Mattie Lou muse and I decided to try it so I took a picture of a still life I threw together then used Photoshop to turn it into a line drawing then painted it in watercolor---twice. It was fun.  Really fun. Surprisingly...fun! But I just realized by looking at the pic again that one pear was green--oh well, artistic license as Kelli says to do in the article.

If any one is interested in how to do turn photos into a line drawing in Photoshop let me know and I will post it.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Tags







These tags were really fun to make. The two on the end are collages with a little bit of lettering and the middle one is acrylic and stamps and a little bit of lettering. The nib doesn't do as well on this surface. The tags are pretty flimsy so I pasted two together. I like making these and maybe I will cut out some tag shapes like this with some watercolor paper and do some little originals. Sewing on them is fun too.

Monday, July 13, 2009

More Snippets


Ok, so this is what I think---I am tricking myself into believing that if it is on a snippet of paper there is no pressure to create it because after all---it's just a scrap! How crazy is that?  That's why I think I have been able to create so many of these--no pressure--no brainer. But I am thinking now that I will put these in a mixed media book of some sort. Pressure! Not really---I guess anything goes in one of these books and hopefully I can sew some of these in. We'll see what I can come up with. I am not sure how to do it yet. 








Sunday, July 12, 2009

Little Sunday Word Snippet

This is a hand carved heart stamp that I carved many years ago that surprisingly I found on the backside of a hand carved leaf. Obviously I didn't care much for the heart--not perfect, you see---but now--not perfect is---perfect! Enjoy your Sunday.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Stamp Cabinet

I am fairly organized I think although I hate it when supplies are stuffed way down somewhere and you don't know what you have and don't use it. My stamps are one of these things. I absolute love stamps and actually I have many more stamps than you see here but I try to put out the stamps that I am using now at my reach. I love the script stamps and use them all the time with my mixed media pieces. I have a bunch of clear stamps that are neatly organized away in a notebook---and with these clear ones-- out of sight--out of mind---so I think I will pull them out and organize them in my new chest. Have a wonderful weekend.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Two more Little Snippets


Here are two more little snippets with original calligraphy. You see I like that quote about the artist not failing---well, it's one I have memorized so it turns up all the time. I must get my sheet out and find some more quotes. The images are a hand carved stamp. The larger flowers were stamps I carved many years ago and the other stamp is one that I think went awry--I think it was actually suppose to be dragon flies but I guess they turned into flowers--of a sort.
I like the way this Arches paper tears--if you tear it in the right direction it makes a very cool torn edge.  I am enjoying doing these little snippets. Thanks so much for all your suggestions as what to do with them. I have many little pieces of un-purposed art. 




Little Snippets of Original Lettering

I was watching some Tim Holtz YouTube videos demonstrating the Distress Ink pads and decided to tear apart these little snippets of lettering and work in some color from my distress inks. Actually you don't need to use these ink pads--any ink pad will do but you need to use a make- up sponge or something like that.  I actually used the Tim Holts foam pads--( is there a supply item that I don't have???)  I don't know what I will do with these yet. They are all about 2x3 ish. I guess I could make some cards or something and glue them on.  No stitching for these--it would be overkill for sure.



Wednesday, July 8, 2009

MJ--(Marc, Jr.)

 He is 12 weeks old---and 12 pounds. I will see him soon---they are driving to Jacksonville on the 18th.  Can't wait to see him. He is advanced for his age---he has already learned to pray! :)




Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Little 5x5-ies--Stitching with Bernie



These are little 31/2 x 31/2 prints stitched to 5x5  card stock. Actually the flowers are original watercolor. The calligraphy is scanned in and placed on the backgrounds using Photoshop  These are fun to make. I enjoy stitching with Bernie. So far, Bernie and I are getting along pretty well.

Still Layer Lovin

I still enjoy putting acrylic paint on canvas in the layer style of the Layer love class that I took---and actually I still have one more class to do.  I decided to try and use the unopened Chart pack vinyl letters from deep in the stash and since they are somewhat adhesive on the back they stuck on in order to stencil around them. So, these Chart Pack letters have some potential.  I don't know what I would ever do with these layered pieces but for now they are fun to make. It's always therapeutic layering paint onto a canvas. This one is 12 x 12. Maybe one day I will venture out and try to use some other colors rather than Quin Nickel Azo gold colors---and the blues and greens.  I guess they are my comfort colors. Have a great day.  I am going to watch "the Memorial Service".

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Little Marc talking

He's just so cute talking to his toy I just couldn't resist. There are family members who live far away that check the blog so hope all of  you in my blog family don't mind a Baby Marc  video now and then. I live for these things---since I don't get to see his very often either.

 Please scroll down for the video of some fun pointed pen calligraphy lettering that I did over the weekend. 


Art Quotes

I think I have gone crazy with iMovie. For all you PC users--iMovie is the movie editing software that comes with the Mac. I learned this really well when I was editing my online class which starts July 22nd. 

That was a shameless plug, I know.

It is so fun to make little movies. This is just some fun calligraphy lettering in an old half used watercolor spiral notebook. The images were stamps with water washes added. I used a pointed nib for the lettering and the paper was actually too rough for the nib but no matter--it was all just practice. My one goal in my art life is to be a lettering artist first--mixed media artist next then fine artist (hee hee, it's ok to laugh at that last one!)

    

Friday, July 3, 2009

Poppy Paper Quilt


Sometimes when a watercolor piece just doesn't please me too much, it pleases me much better to tear it apart. That's what I did here. Bernie and I had a good time. This is 140 lb watercolor paper plus a lighter weight Arches Text Wove watercolor paper stitched on.  This is about 11x11. Maybe I will put it onto a 12 x 12 canvas and sell it on Etsy.

Y'all have a great weekend and 4th. Nor sure if I will have anything else to blog over the holiday weekend but if not---see y'all next week!

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Stencil Book Two--"Art Affirmations"

I think it is fun to go out into my red shed and spray paint with my stencils. I then gather all my pages and tear them up evenly  (as possible) and see what I've got. And--you get what you get. Sometimes it is magic and sometimes it's mush but the challenge to me is to see if I can put some lettering on it. I guess I was in a Blackletter mood for this book. I wasn't practiced up on the Blackletter but I won't go there and critique the letterforms. I also found a few spaces for some Italic and monoline lettering. It was fun to do and it took me most of yesterday to edit it. I love editing though--it's fun for me. I love Enya so I decided to use "Carribean Blue". It's amazing how the music will set the mood-- Music is powerful isn't it?  (Sometimes that's a good thing and sometimes it isn't.)

I did sew the book but not with Bernie. I tried it and the needle pulled completely out since I had used cloth tape for bookbinding for the spine. That stuff is super adhesive so of course the needle came out---duh!

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Official Portrait of Bernie and her colorful friends

Bernie, the official portrait.
I made another stencil book yesterday with the intention of sewing it on the machine. The background above is a left over scrap of the book. Well, I think I pushed my little Bernie to a point she wouldn't go---but what I did was rather stupid come to think of it but it didn't hurt her. She is a tough little thing. This top image was ---well, just sewn on to see what it would look like. I had written the quote the other day on a scrap. Looks ok.... I wouldn't frame it or anything but it's kinda interesting. It might look like it was just stuck on there with no cohesiveness or integration. So here is my new motto---"just because I can stitch it on doesn't mean that I should! "

 I will take some pictures and blog the stencil book tomorrow.
Here are the scraps left from the Random Rag book from yesterday. It's small and here are just a few of the pages.
This  is my favorite one. I think that I will save all my calligraphy scraps and even make some more to sew in books. 

...some little acrylic flowers in the pocket...not sewn shut this time...
Bernie and I are becoming fast friends. She has adapted to her new home quite well. 


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