Saturday, March 30, 2013

Easter Bunnies


A blessed and joyful Easter
to you all...
Don't eat too much chocolate!


Friday, March 29, 2013

Paint and Collage



Painting over book text:  permanent marker,
 gesso, and blue watercolor mounted
on scrapbook paper in an art journal
that I constructed myself.




Above and below, collages in my Smash Journal.
The blue branch on the right
came from a Kleenex box!
My own lettering and motifs
 were drawn in marker and 
painted in watercolor. I was
feeling like some geometric
Kandinsky-like designs were 
in order for the day.







Quotes and collage on scrapbook paper.
Bits of collected ephemera, stickers and fabric.
Below, a poem with drawings and 
collage. I love that little vintage
game piece with the candle...



I will have greetings for Easter
and 
April Fool's Day
so do stop by and visit again soon!

Friday, March 15, 2013

Painting Over Text


Permanent marker and watercolor
over book text...the rose above
was drawn while looking at 
a vintage wallpaper pattern.



Just tear a page from an old book and 
draw on it with a bullet tip permanent marker.
Then paint watercolor washes over the pen drawing.
I use my hair dryer between washes to dry it 
more quickly. Add details with a fine tip marker
and white gel pen.



I've enlarged motifs from some of my
previous art journal pages, but the 
possibilities are endless!

where there is an art auction going on
to benefit Sandy Hook Elementary.



Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Mini Sampler Bag



Here is the bag I made from the mini sampler.
I am pleased with the way it turned out.
The cross stitch is 'framed' with tan fabric, as 
well as the back of the bag and the lining.



I made the handle from two separate pieces
that are tied together in a bow, and trimmed with
a few buttons and a bow from twine.
The bag will probably hang from the ladder back chair
in the living room, though it could be used for a small purse,
or a place to keep sewing supplies.  I am enjoying
the springy colors on the sampler,
especially since we are having snow and
wind and cloudy skies again today in Ohio!


Friday, March 8, 2013

Art Journal Collages




Above, Smash book pages...from our Road Trip to 
Panama City Beach, Fla., with a stop off in
Clarksville, TN.  Enjoyed our time, but it was
all too short!  The little watercolor at bottom
left was done with watercolor pencils.
Sunshine, sand and waves were just the
colors I needed to refresh my winter blahs...


When we got back from our all-too-short vacation,
I promptly got a terrible cold, but we did go out
to eat in a local restaurant, and I couldn't resist
doodling on the back of the place mat...


I took the place mat with me and used it for
these collages...used the ads and my drawings
together. Considered adding color, but
decided I liked the white, black and tan as is.


More Smash book pages using odds and ends...
the bottom is a postcard showing a still life by
Frida Kahlo. I adore the color!



Same page with postcard flipped up.
On the back of the postcard,
I wrote out an excerpt from a book about Frida,
and created a watercolor inspired by
Mexican folk art designs.



Collage on the facing page.
This is not my usual style of collage, as it is
more of a grid-type composition. I usually
overlap the elements in my collages.
The colored pencil design on the right
 is inspired by Native American beading and embroidery.
I believe I was researching the Delaware (Lenape) but
it was years ago, and I can't find my source now...
see how long my scraps can be buried in a
box, tub, book or tin?!

Any time I need inspiration, I can always
find it in ancient, classical or modern art!
What inspires you?

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Cross Stitch Mini Sampler


This is what I did this week
while I was fighting a terrible cold...a
mini cross-stitch sampler on 11 count Aida cloth.
It ended up just under 4" x 6".

I sat on the couch with my box of tissues,
decaf herbal tea--of which it felt like I drank buckets--
and stitched away while watching 
Monarch of the Glen on Netflix.  Now 
fighting a cough, but on the mend, and 
happy with the results of the stitching.

Cross stitch motifs combined from
Antique Sampler from Jeremiah Junction Designs
by Linda Coleman (light switch cover designs),
Complete book of Cross Stitch by E. Van Zandt,
and 
The Sampler Motif Book by Brenda Keyes.

Not sure how I will finish this...
I am leaning toward making a little
drawstring bag...stay tuned.