Gone, gone, gone, I've been gone too long

Has it really been over six months since my last post? Wow, where has the time gone? 

I was chatting with one of my crafty friends recently, who advised me she missed reading my blog posts. So, here you go; this is what I've been up to recently.

I was watching an episode of Live With Prima, and Cari made a beautiful frame similar to this. So here's my version ... Is it still considered scraplifting if it's off the page?

I made this small canvas with capital Wood Icons from Prima. I had a whole package of them not being used, and while I love them I did not know what to do with them, so I made NEWFOUNDLAND!! 

Here is a close-up shot of the butterfly. I used a Prima stamp to stamp the image onto Velum and coloured with my Copic markers on the reverse. Added a Wilton flower stamon for the antenna and there you go!!

I hope to be blogging again more often again. 

Thanks for looking. 

Seasons Change - a Brave canvas for me....

I've had this idea in my head for a while - a large canvas of a tree with all four seasons.  This canvas is pretty big - not huge my any means, but it's 18x24, so much larger than what I'm use to working with.  I started with the background, creating quadrants to represent Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.  Then I added texture with a napkin.  The tree is a hot glue then painted!  The leaves are paper - using both a Martha Stewart punch and a Sizzix die (Prima).  The fall leaves are from Prima's Sunrise Sunset collection, and the green leaves are Authentique's Peaceful collection.  The cherry blossoms are from my stash - probably dollar store, can't remember.  The snow is modeling paste from Liquitex and glitter (although you can't see it in the photo).

I love how it turned out - one of the few times where what was in my head actually came out on my page/canvas.  I showed my husband and he said to me that he wants to hang it on the wall in the living room ... I near cried - he likes it that much, as much as I do!

So, let me know what you think - this is me being brave - doing a BIG canvas!

 

 

Leave a comment - they make my day!!

 

 

 

Mixed Media Canvas

I have been trying my hand at mixed media recently.  Mostly by adding some mixed media products into my scrapbooking repertoire.  I have recently done two canvas pieces.  The first of which I wanted to showcase black gesso.  I then sprayed some Heidi Swapp Color Shine in Gold Lame through a stencil and then used a similar stencil in a smaller size with molding paste.  Burlap trim and some Prima flowers.

 

 

 
 
 


My second canvas was inspired from a mixture of Live With Prima classes and a canvas that Donna has posted on her blog.  I recently picked up two of the Donna Downey poppy stamps - they are a few years old, but I still liked them.  I coloured my background with gelatoes, then glued a napkin down with clear gel medium making sure it was all wrinkly.  I then used a mixture of gelatoes and paint on the stamps, and more paint mixed with water to make it drip for the stems.  I painted on some leaves and doodle outlined all the flowers, stems and leaves with my Pitt pen. I stamped a sentiment with some black Staz On.  I love how this turned out!

 

 

 

 

 

Well there you have it folks, my 3rd and 4th canvas' ever ... I'm enjoying the process.  I even entered the Poppy one into a contest.  Wish me luck!

 



 

Art Journal - pages 2 and 3

Continuing on with the Art journal project I have started.  I am going through some very difficult times right now personally.  Someone very close to me is dying, and it is hard to watch.  And while everyone dies sometime, you just never 'want' it to happen.  And when someone starts to fade then you try to hang on to the hope that they will somehow get better, and all things will be the same as they once were.

This journal is intended to help me get my emotions out, page by page, as things unfold in this journey I am documenting them in art.  I use to write poetry, I was pretty good, I have been published a time or two.  But life changes you, and your interests and way of expressing yourself either matures or digresses, I don't know which.  But this is how I'm doing 'me' right now.
 
Page two - As much as I hate this saying, and believe me I do ... "It is what it is"  It is just that ... it IS what it is ... and you can't change it.  It ... is ... cancer.  It ... will be ... death.  Moving on ... notice on this page the key?  That was a cool technique, I used Versamark and platinum embossing powder in several layers then while the heat embossing was still hot, I pressed a rubber stamp into it - love how it turned out.

Page three - I'm so sick of hearing this right now when I tell anyone what I'm going through "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that"  Really? Is that just the stock saying?  I know it's probably the same thing I would be saying if I were in their shoes too, but honestly, does it really benefit either the recipient or the giver?  Anyway, it is what it is, and until it's over, everyone is going to be sorry to hear that.  Moving on again, the technique in this one is my hand made flowers.  And again having used Gelatoes to colour the background.

 

 

Well as always, I appreciate your comments - be kind and leave a few words for me ... simply click on the comment button right down there :o)

 

Life is Finite ...

I've finally decided I am going to take up Art Journaling ... well kinda.  Mixed media art is everywhere now, and it's so intriguing, however there are alot of elements that I don't like about it ... and I have finally got my head wrapped around the fact that I don't have to do those things that I don't like, I can make it me, I can do it however I want.

This was my first ever Mixed Media attempt

So, the other day I did a couple of little canvases, and enjoyed the journey.  See above for my first attempt (shudders) I can't believe I'm putting this on the blog!

Today I got some bad news about a family member and something has been running through my head like a mantra all day ... Life is Finite.

I used a canvas page from the Prima Mixed Media Album, and a book page, gesso, texture paste, Crafters Workshop template, stamps from Prima and Autumn Leaves, Prima flowers and bling, bubble wrap, pan pastels, and gelatos ... wow what a mix!  I guess this is why it's called MIXed media LOL.

 

 

Anyway, first attempt, let me know what you think