Days 22-30 of 30/30 project

Wooohoooo! Project 30/30 is DONE! I think I can call it a success. I created, I cranked, I completed. Here are days 22-30. This was probably my hardest batch to deal with because there were other things going on in my life and some days I just didn't have time or energy to complete a project. But I did anyway. So there.

Day 22 was a spread for Carol's Marie Antoinette's Round Robin. Her theme is "Sensual Pleasures". Besides a bubble bath (which I already did for Lorena's spread) I thought of the Garden's of Versailles. 

Day 23 was a quick and dirty mini fabric book. The cover is a pounded flower on muslin my daughter made at a workshop (her book fell apart and she said I could use the flower). There's about 8 pages inside with various stamps and words. I hand stitched the binding.

Day 24 was a sketch of a Suzi Blu type face. I need to practice my faces so I don't forget how to draw them. Arlene is taking the class now and inspired me, hers are looking fabulous! Instead of hair I decided to put her in a head scarf. If I ever turn her into a painting I am going to make the scarf red with a wild pattern. That's what's in my head when I think of my girl in color.

Day 25 was a quickie. I was crunching numbers all day and would turn to the side of my desk and glue some text down. Crunch some more and glue some birds down. And so on. It was a desperate act of creativity. It's not easy switching sides of the brain back and forth, but I think it turned out well.

Day 26 I tried something different. I think it was Janet who started the jewelry thread on my group list... with a button bracelet someone made. Then Sox made her own button bracelet. I decided to use some charms I made a long time ago with vintage storybook characters in them. The charms are two pieces of glass with pictures between then wrapped in copper foil and soldered. I added some glass beads in between to give it some jangle. I really like the look of it, but realistically, I'll probably never wear it. It jangles too much for me and I rarely wear bracelets.

Day 27 was something very different. A year or so ago Kelli Perkins had an article in Cloth Paper Scissors magazine about how to make poetry spoons or spoon "books". She drilled holes in the ends and linked 4-6 spoons together. I only had two spoons in my stash. I gave one to my daughter and we did the project together. Mine is on the left, hers is on the right. I think they turned out excellently, if I may say so myself.

Day 28 was carving a stamp. I saw this design on Alisa Burke's blog about a stamp carving class. I drew it straight on the block and carved away. My very first hand made stamp. It was fun and might turn out to be slightly addicting. (I've already made another one...) I've had a handful of those rubber carving blocks and a carving tool in my stash for a few years now, I figured it was time to cut it up. The actual stamp is in the middle, with prints on white paper on the left and on a vintage text on the right.

Day 29 I made a page using the stamp. I had gotten the Creative Impulse Newsletter that day and loved the color combination of the project of the week. So I took it from there, adding my own carved stamp on dictionary text. I just taped it down (but not really, it's glued first) and added a small quote. A very quick page if you don't count all the drying time for the paint.

Day 30 (dun dun dun DUN as my daughter would say...) is a spread in my watercolor journal. I challenged myself by telling myself I had to use these two photo collage images I got from CollageVisions. Once I stamped the typewriter on the lady's side and the pen and ink on the man's side the words popped into my head. Eunice is ahead of her time. What a scandal to use a typewriter to write her love letters! Joseph prefers the safety of pen and ink.

So what am I going to do now? Well for starters I have another Marie Antoinette RR spread to finish in the next few days. Then before the end of the month (where DID June go??) I have another RR journal to finish. Theme is "In My Zen Garden". I have an Altoid tin swap due at the end of month over at MMartFriends. Maybe the charm swap at FiberArtTraders. I want to get back to Mixed Media Mondays. And I want to try some of Michelle Ward's challenges over at Green Pepper Press. And I'm SURE that my sketchbook group will come up with something new VERY soon. They always do! (Crazy ladies, but I love you anyway!) Wow. Did I just really list all that stuff I wanted to do? Am I nuts?? 


Perhaps.

Days 17-21 of 30/30 project

Well, here it is, all caught up! At least for a few more hours until it's tomorrow... I've been working hard on my Layer Love class with Julie Prichard. I fell behind one day because I had to let the paint dry. So to make up for it, I painted two paintings at the same time. Hah! Take that, wet paint! Shall we begin? 


Day 17 was Lesson One from the Layer Love class "The Red Page." It is a background for a mixed media painting. (Don't ask me what... I have NO idea yet!) We are learning how to layer the paint to create depth. There are about 6 or 7 layers here of different colors, from blue to red to black. And what does Julie say? Blend blend blend! I tell you, it looks MUCH better in person. My scanner doesn't do it justice unfortunately.

Day 18 was a day of journaling in my watercolor book. One of my favorite songs is called "Ugly Side" by Blue October. I decided to see if I could come up with some images for the lyrics... my apologies to Barbie. (Seriously, doesn't the "pretty" side look like Barbie Doll?)

Day 19 was back to Layer Love, lesson 2 "The Old Sea Calls to Me." It really reminds me of the deep sea. The light part of the canvas seems to glow from within. Again, a million layers and blend blend blend. I think this one is my favorite one so far. Probably because I love the sea... dream about the sea... want to live by the sea. 

Day 20 was Layer Love lesson 3. "Old World Golds" I really like this one too. We played with texture using gel medium. Yummy. I love texture you can feel as well as see. I love the color palette. And the weird thing is, there is no gold paint anywhere on the canvas! It's all yellows and ochres and Nickel Azo Gold (but no metallic gold) and burnt umber. Lots of washes and glazes. It's probably not as glossy as it's supposed to be because I didn't have the gloss medium she recommended. (Have to wait until I have a coupon for Michael's Craft Store for that one!) I did have some GAC100 which I used instead. But it's really amazing in person.

Day 21 was a repeat of Day 20's lesson but done in my watercolor journal. (While the canvas was drying I painted in the book. And vice versa.) I wanted to see how it would work on paper. I think it turned out pretty well. I added some script rubber stamping, and chandelier and dragonfly. 

All of these paintings are supposed to be backgrounds for journaling or mixed media paintings. But that's where I get stuck. I don't know how to "finish" them. Hopefully in time something will inspire me and I'll get an idea and go for it. My friend Janet painted a beautiful mermaid on her Sea background. Maybe someday... but for now... on to Lesson 4. Although who knows, maybe I'll take a break and work on something different tomorrow... Only about one more week to go for the 30/30 project! Have a great weekend everyone.

Days 10-16 of 30/30 project

I have been very very busy these past few weeks. I can't quite say WHY yet but it's BIG. And school is winding down for the summer. Husband's last day was today. And C has to go until June 10th. It's always a big adjustment to go from being alone all day to having the family home all day. But it'll be a busy summer too. My Irises are done blooming already but I thought the greens were pretty the way the light was shining through them.

For now I'll just post my days of creativity for the "30 project in 30 days" challenge. Days 10-16 were interesting in that I just did them. I think there comes a point where if you do something for about 14 days in a row it becomes a habit? Like... exercising every day. Or not eating sugar for two weeks. Or making time for art every day. I think I like it. 

Day 10 is a spread in my wc journal. I started out with the blue background and added swirls of puffy clouds and decided it needed a house. The words say "and in the door was a golden key" Hmm. Wonder where that door will lead to? 

Day 11 came out when I was cleaning up my studio and was organizing my ATC box. I just couldn't resist this face. Words are from an actual vintage text and the background is dyed paper towels.

Day 12 is another ATC I finished. I started with a card with an alcohol ink background. My personal symbol seems to be stars and once I glued the stars on I thought they looked like they were dancing a bit. I was testing a product called Byzantia Bijoux which is a crushed glass, quartz and marble blend of glitter. It looks like crushed gemstones. If you want more information about this product you'll have to email me and I'll tell you more.

Day 13 was the Wabi Sabi Round Robin Journal I had to work on for the month of May. I saved this one until the last minute. I had NO clue what I was going to do until I started it. I guess that's what wabi sabi is all about, right?  The words read "Nothing is Perfect. Nothing is Finished. Nothing Lasts." and on the right it says "I cling to my imperfection as the very essence of my being." A quote by Anatole France.

Day 14 was prompted by a short conversation I had with my daughter while outside waiting for her bus that morning. I love the great outdoors. I really do. I love all of God's creatures. Except Mosquitoes! I hate the little bloodsucking things. And I am super paranoid about biting/stinging insects. Some of you know my latest ordeal... I woke up one morning with 30 (yes, 3-0) bites on my arm from about 4" above and below my elbow. By the next day I was ready to gnaw my arm off from the itching. And swelling. And redness and pain. I ended up having to take steroids for 3 days and using a prescription topical hydrocortisone. I have NO idea what bit me. But mosquito bites usually trigger my immune system to go crazy. So when this sucker was buzzing around my head and my daughter said that, I had to make a journal page about it, in Teesha Moore style of course!

Day 15 is a mini art quilt I finally put together. The picture is a liquid polymer clay transfer I saw Kelli Perkins do on Quilting Arts TV one day. You just shmear the liquid polymer clay very thinly on a laser copy with the back of a spoon, heat it with a heat gun until it cures (or you can bake it in the oven) and then soak it in water to take the paper off. I put book text behind it and sewed right through it. The doily came from a secondhand shop find. Score!

Day 16 is another mini mixed media canvas. The background was painted with a deliciously shimmery intense blue paint, layered with cheesecloth, and a gorgeous piece of silk Sari I cut up. (I'm so Sari!) The medallion is a polymer clay piece I made and I just used silver rub n buff to shine it up. And I'm happy to say that despite it being dried out a bit at the top, there were NO rub n buff accidents this time! The colors really are amazing in real life.

Well, that's it for now. I don't want to make this post so long that I lose you toward the end. But today was actually day 19 so I will post again in a few days to catch up. Have a great weekend!

DAYS 5-9 of 30/30 Project

This has been an interesting process indeed. Last Thursday I rebelled. I started a project in my book, a whole mess of textured background, and my brain said "enough!" There was just something about HAVING to do a project that my mind rejected. (People who know me well know that I don't take well to being forced to do something.) I put my brushes down, packed up a lunch, a book, a camera and a dog and headed outdoors to the local forest preserve to clear my head. I ate my PBJ but it was too windy to read so we headed on the trail around the lake. It was nice to not think for awhile. When I did get back, I sat down and finished my pages. And did a few more little projects for the next few days since I knew I wasn't going to have much art time. So I'm trying to figure myself out... was I just burned out on the "have to" idea or I am undisciplined? Do other people just sit down and make art when they don't necessarily feel like it? I suppose they would have to if they have a piece of commissioned work, right? How do you keep your creative juices flowing?


Anyway, here's the rundown for days 5-9.  Day 5 I decided to do something different. I was cleaning up my studio (yeah, that's different in itself!) when I came across a sketch on wc paper of a little monster. I decided to finish painting it. I did a few of these monster paintings a while ago for my niece and nephew, also made a jean jacket with the monster on the back and a tee shirt of a princess monster. It was a big hit. But this one was dedicated to all the little monsters in my life. You know who you are.

Day 6 was the troublesome one. Once I put down all these textural layers of tissue paper I had NO clue as how to finish it. After my respite in nature, I saw the background as very organic and finished it with real ginko leaves. I just needed a purpose.

Day 7 was a fun little project. I started out with a block of wood (which had something on it already, shhh) that I painted with black gesso and then put white crackle paint on top. Finished with a few pieces of textiles (burlap, dryer sheet, lace, ribbon) and a button I got from a button swap. Added the few necessary words. 

Day 8 was a cop out. It took me just a few minutes to fancy up this shoe that belongs to Marie Antoinette. It went into Lorena's Marie RR Portfolio. But that's okay because it was Saturday and my daughter and I had big plans. 

Day 9 went to an art journal entry format, telling about our big day on Saturday. We decided to hit the Glen Ellyn Village Fair and Taste of Glen Ellyn. (Where else can you get deep fried Twinkies? and NO. I did not abuse my body in that manner!!!) I took my camera and "shot from my hip". I put 12 photos together on the page. It was interesting because at first I put all the pictures on nice and straight and lined up. But it just wasn't right. So I messed them up, tilted them, doodled around them... yes. Much better. (If you click on the picture you can enlarge it and see the little pictures.) I needed to depict the chaos, the blaring music, the flashing lights, the game yellers, the screamers, the smell of popcorn and cotton candy, the kids running around... 

Well, that's it for now. I am not giving up on this project. If I'm not disciplined I AM persistent. (Some would say stubborn, but I prefer persistent or tenacious.) This week will be interesting because I do have a fair amount of work to do in other areas of life. So keep your fingers crossed and have a GREAT week!

30 Projects in 30 Days

I started a new challenge because you know, I just can't resist a good challenge! Yet another from my Sketchbook Project Group, boy those ladies keep me on my toes! So the challenge is to create and complete a project every day for 30 days. Since we break rules all the time, we decided if we run into snags (also called Life) and miss a day, we can make up for it with 2 the next day... so long as we complete 30 projects in 30 days. Since I know I won't post every day, I'm going to try and group them every 3-4 days. Before the project started I made a watercolor journal to work in, which is pictured above. My focus for this challenge is to paint and fill up my little journal. I don't want to call it Art Journaling, I would say it's more just mixed media painting in a journal. Of course our regular work in our Marie Antoinette RR and our Sketchbook RR also count. And if I feel like doing something else one day, so be it. Rule breakers we are.

Day 1: I created the 30/30 digital logo you see on the left of my post. Of course I shared it with all the peeps playing :-)

Day 2: I wanted to create a nice send-off page for my journal.  Paint, paper and rubber stamps/ink pad.

Day 3: This was inspired by Cloth Paper Scissors magazine cover for this month. It's an article on painted paper collage by Serena Wilson Stubson. I used various scrapbook papers, paints, stencils/stamps, cheesecloth, and marker. I love that it's so colorful. And yes, some people would be happy to know I used the color Orange!

Day 4: Was just serendipity. I started the day out tired and in a gah type mood so I slathered a very dark blue/black all over the paper and let it dry. Then decided I wanted to do a house theme. At night of course. But I had to lighten the page with blue gray storm clouds. I used torn scrapbook paper, text, music sheets, and words. The text says "It was a dark and stormy night" and the name of the picture is called "Every home has a story to tell." Even the doghouse. If you click on the picture it should give a closeup of the words inside the houses... the story of the house.

I tell ya, I'm having too much fun here. I really enjoyed the past two days' projects. I think what I'm going to do is to grab a random magazine (I only have about 98723765 magazines laying around here!) and open it to a page I have earmarked as a project or technique I want to try. Oh so much to do and try and so little time...  

Oh, on another note and related to my previous post... I WON a hand painted fat quarter from Leilani Pierson! She was giving away this gorgeous fat quarter as a thanks for playing in her challenge to make the little fabric book. This piece of fabric is really beautiful. It will pain me to cut into it, but it's alright. I haven't figured out yet how I'm going to use it, so I can enjoy it now as is. And the envelope she sent it in, is really pretty too! I just can't throw it away...

Mini Fabric Book Challenge

Leilani Pierson posed a mini challenge this week over at the Cloth Paper Scissors blog. Make a mini fabric book using only these supplies:

• Light colored fabric
• Thread (to bind it)
• Rubber stamps or homemade stamps
• Stamp Pad
• Text found from old books
• Marker/pen for doodling and/or marking

Of course I couldn't resist a challenge, especially coming from Leilani, who taught a flower pounding/fabric book class at Make It University at International Quilt Festival. I had a blast at the class and feel like I met a kindred spirit. Here's my little book:

Yes, those are my fingers holding it, the book is tiny! The pages are a 4" x 4" piece of canvas fabric folded in half and stitched. I had to hunt through my stamps for small enough images! I grunged the fabric with a stamp pad, then stamped some images on it, layering some images with a text stamp. The circles are a piece of cardboard tubing I dipped in the stamp pad. Finding the words were the best part, I love using random book text in my work. It took me about an hour to finish the book (after sewing it together the night before!) It was a nice exercise for my brain, a nice change of pace. I was itching to do something new and this hit the spot.


Thanks Leilani!

Tip-toe... through the tulips

Some pretty pictures for you on this middle of the week hump day. Tulips from my garden and my neighbors garden. Have I told you yet this week how much I LOVE my camera??

And if you live anywhere near the Midwest, you'll recognize these... just about ready to spread the joy! 

On my walk this week, I found the big white birds back in their pond. Anyone know what kind of bird this is? Snowy Egret maybe? Some kind of Heron? They're really big. UPDATE: I was informed by several bird experts this is a "Great Egret". How cool is that? Thanks Peggy and Lori!

Have a great rest of the week everyone!