Art for Anna

A while back...a long while back...my friend Anna sent me a fabulous care package FULL of goodies.  I take pride in being really good at packing, but if I'm good at packing, Anna invented it...I have NO idea how she got so much stuff in that box.  It was a modern day miracle!

So because I am the worst procrastinator ever, it took me a long time to make a reciprocation package for her.  In my defense, I wasn't really procrastinating, I was just trying extra hard to make awesome things for her...I got inside my head a little bit and freaked out...that's the true story... *hangs head in shame*  I don't know why I have such a hard time making art FOR other people.  I don't have a hard time making art for me...it must be my violent need for approval...  I just want to do a really good job so that they will still love me!

In addition to various bits...aka stuff to use in her own art (scrapbook paper, ephemera, etc.)...here's what I sent to Anna:

Back side of a tag I made...I cut my own tag out of watercolor paper.  I have an insanely strong desire to go buy those fabulous manila shipping tags that other artists are using so ingeniously...but I am trying SO HARD to be good and not do it.  I have so much good stuff to use that I feel like I need to use a lot of what I have before I go get more.  I REALLY don't want to do that though...what I really want is to max out my credit cards for art supplies.  BUT I've done good to this point, and just cut my own tag.  A tag cut out of watercolor paper is stronger and better anyway (she said bitterly to herself).

Here's the front of the same tag as above.  I did a little collage from the already gone months of this year's calender.  I also used a Martha Stewart foil embossing kit I got on clearance (so long ago I can't even tell you when) and some tiny heart confetti that my sister gave me.  Collage is not my forte, but I love this and I hope Anna does too...I am a big fan of the various funky ribbons...

This is the main/big piece I made for Anna.  It's on canvas!  This is the best thing I've done to date on a canvas.  I don't know what the deal is with me and canvases, but we hate each other...SO MUCH!  But this canvas has me rethinking my canvas hatred...  I am super happy with how she turned out...especially her lip area...her lips make me so happy I could scream...AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!  I'M SO HAPPY ABOUT YOUR LIPS!!!   ...oh, and modeling paste hair is the way to go for me...modeling paste hair all the way...lovely texture that is even better in person (if I do say so myself...so humbly)

The non-Adam-looking Adam...

The last picture is the thing that held up all the other things.  I was trying to draw her a picture of Adam Levine, because she and my other friend Pamikins have the hots for him in the most ardent way...but I can't draw Adam Levine.  I know, I know...I always say anyone can draw anything, but I was wrong...Adam Levine is my personal exception to the rule.  I had to have drawn twenty versions of him, and not a single one came remotely close to looking like him.  On a side note, Adam Levine, despite Anna's and Pamikins' love for you and despite the fact that you have freckles (which are usually very endearing to me), you are now my nemesis.  

This sketch was the best one I did, despite the fact that it looks nothing like who it's supposed to look like, I ended up liking the sketch very much...the only sketch out of the multiple sketches I did that did not end up getting gesso poured over them/crumpled in anger and frustration then gesso erased.  This guy, I love though...I don't know what it is about him, but I loved him, and I almost didn't send him to Anna because I am a selfish heifer...but in the end, my love for Anna prevailed and I sent non-Adam-looking Adam to live with her.  

I hope Anna will like/can use the goodies in her care package...I hope I sent just the right kind of things to make her happy!   ...you know, cause I love her and stuff...

Playing with dolls and ICAD 8, 9, and 10

One of the groups I'm in on Facebook is having a swap using a template from Stampington.com.  You can find the template HERE, or go to Stampington's site, which has a bunch of other templates, tutorials and free projects to try...I'm definitely going to be visiting that site again soon!

So anyway, here's what I made with the template:

I used modeling paste for the hair, so it has some texture even though you can't see it.  The arm is articulated, thanks to the little paper fastener thingie.  The wing is Angelina film, which is iridescent, (although it doesn't come through well in the photo) and stamped with Stazon.  And paint (acrylic and watercolor), pen, scrapbook paper, and lace are the other ingredients.

I get to swap with my most favoritest Boo in the whole wide world!  I hope she likes it!

And then here's my ICAD's for the past couple days, all on 3x5 cards: 

June 8, the prompt was "city or map", and I did this with an XS Pitt Pen.  The line is from the Johnny Cash song "The Ballad of Barbara" below.

June 9, the prompt was "sun".  This is water soluble crayolas, gelatos, and watercolor.

And today, June 10, the prompt was "list of favorites".  I'm not a list person, so I just had to wing it.  The list is 'favorites today'.  And it says:

1. This French Violet color paint (it's Valspar and the picture doesn't do it justice...the color is a really beautiful purply grey, and I like it quite a bit...my mom gave me the paint)
2. Art jounaling...yeah, that's an every single day favorite, duh!  I haven't had much time in my art journals for the past few days and I am detoxing or something!  I hope I can get some time with them after work tonight!
3. White space in journals...I do love the amazing layered backgrounds that are popular right now, but there's something about white space in journals that just does it for me!
4. My new haircut...yeah, I said goodbye to a good 4-5 inches, and it feels SO much better...I swear to goodness, I could shave my head bald and I'd be so happy about it.  But sadly, I have a bulbous head and bald is just not going to be a good look for me...so I settled for shorter than it was...
5. Summer storms...the kind that leave it cooler than it was before the storm started anyway...I don't want any of that humidity crap afterwards!  
6. Reusing file folders...I did the art doll above on a manilla file folder, and I have about 10,000 more file folders.  I am happy to be able to put them to use, even if it's just one at a time!
7. Line drawings...  I love simple line drawings, even though I am always adding in detail on my own things.  A well done line drawing is HARD to do, (at least to me) but gorgeous!
8. Chocolate milk...seriously, I could drink a bathtub full of chocolate milk and still not be sick of it...I have a problem...
9. buckeye brownie cake!!!  I stopped at a diner yesterday because I just wanted to get out of the house and got a philly cheese steak and a piece of this cake...  Oh.My.Goodness.  I am not even a cake person, and this stuff made rainbows shoot out of my mouth!  It was SO delicious!
10. Sad songs...I am currently listening to Trio, which is Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Rondstadt.  I love the songs on this album (and Trio 2, also gorgeous)...it was one of the first CDs I ever bought, and I wore it out.  Now I'm listening to it on Spotify, contemplating a quick Amazon purchace...   

Perhaps you did not know...

I've been a busy little bee this weekend...doing some artsy things like playing with my Dylusions stuff (I'm still not over these, I love them so much!), starting and finishing some pages, trying new-to-me techniques on ephemera and trying some new mediums as well, making some jewelry...and visiting the Russell Stover outlet in Gatlinburg, spending way too much money on chocolate factory seconds.  My husband says he doesn't like the term 'factory seconds' when referring to food, because it sounds like your eating something someone else has already taken a bite of...the Russell Stover outlet people apparently agree, because they call them 'bloopers'.  Either way, it all tastes like chocolate and I am currently trying, with much difficulty, to type a post and not get melty chocolate on the keyboard...because then I will have to lick it off...don't judge me too harshly!  Perhaps you did not know I have no shame when it comes to food...

Let's abruptly change the subject before this goes too far...  Oh look, pictures! :

Quote from Dorothy L. Sayers

Ah, I do love my quotes...and this is a good one.  This page was my warm up.  Perhaps you did not know, but warm ups are what you call things you're not quite happy with...they are not mistakes...they are warm-ups.  I think this is salvageable  but I'm not utterly thrilled with it, so it will have to be added to in the future, I think.  Maybe if I threw some doodles in there?  I don't know...we'll see what happens...

Pomegranate stencil from Julie Fei-Fan Balzer (mini size)

Perhaps you did not know, I will spend ungodly amounts of money I don't have on art/craft supplies...I fear it is my greatest flaw.  I've decided that I am the embodiment of the quote "I myself am entirely made up of flaws stitched together with good intentions."  I can't help myself.  In my defense, I don't ever spend money on useless things like clothing or make-up or hair cuts (I do them myself...I feel it gives me an edgy 'artistic' look...and pony tails can cover a lot of mistakes...I mean warm ups...) or cleaning supplies...so I think I'm justified in buying more art/craft stuff...  Most recently, I got some stencils so's I could play with my Dylusions in a whole new way.  I've also been hoarding plastic packaging, so I'm eventually going to try to cut some of my own...we'll see how that goes...

Along with the stencils (because free shipping couldn't be achieved without spending $50 or more and because I really wanted one), I got one of Dyan Reaveley's Creative Journals.  Let me just tell you, this is a big honkin' momma of an awesome art journal!  Especially considering all my other journals are 7 by 5 or smaller and spiral bound (except for one), so two-page spreads are practically impossible...  the pages in Dyan's Creative Journals are 11 3/8 by 8 1/4 and stitch bound, so I could do a humongous spread!  Oh, the excitement!  I started putting down some stuff on Friday and here's what that looks like:

In the middle of the pages you can see the Cornflower stencil (Julie Fei-Fan Balzer's design...So far, this is my favorite stencil I think...) and I also used Dyan's Dotted Flowers stencil, trying the 'ghosting' technique for the first time.  I like the much more demure look of the ghosting technique.  I think I got a little heavy handed when doing the Cornflowers stencil.  I'll have to see what I can do to make it blend in a little better...Let's call that part another warm up...  But oh, swoony swoon for the fun I've been having!

I also did this page, just fooling around so I wouldn't waste the ink on the stencils, but I really like it.  I'll have to use it for something:

This picture doesn't do it justice...it's much more awesome in person...maybe I'll cut it up for ATCs?  Hmm...

Before I got my Dylusions, I was messing around with alcohol inks and perfect pearls, making my own sprays, and here's a girl I did using the sprays I made:

Ooh, she's so SPARKLY!

I used kraft paper for her face, and I really like how that looks!  I also used modeling paste for her hair, so it's heavily textured.  The only downfall is that when I sprayed some of the perfect pearls spray on, it ended up pooling in the texture and it looks like she's got some really bad dandruff going on.  I'm going to try to hit it with some Head and Shoulders in the form of the black Dylusions and maybe that will help...  You should see how very sparkly she is in real life!  I'm not a huge fan of 'bling' or glittery/sparkly stuff, but I do have to admit I like the Perfect Pearls (I have the little tubs of them).  They add more of a magical gleam than a big glob of shiny, I think that's why I enjoy them...

First time doodling with charcoal...

This is my partway finished page for the Creative Every Day challenge (you can read about the challenge HERE).  March's theme is Black & White.  I tore up some book pages and used gesso to glue them down (the green is a different page...I forgot to stick something in between when I took the picture...this page is all black and white).  Then I just used some charcoal to draw a girl and hit it with some hairspray so it wouldn't smudge accidentally...I really need to invest in some workable fixative, but hairspray works for me till then.  I really like the way you can see the texture of the book pages. I am pretty happy with the shading...I think that's the best part about the charcoal is you just (on purpose) smudge it around and you've got interesting shading!  I bet the worst part about charcoal is when your smudging happens not on purpose...  I am not satisfied with her eyes (they are creeping me out a little...) so I think I am going to try to use some ink and a couple other things to fix them...I'll experiment till we find what works... Perhaps you didn't know, but experimenting is my favorite!

Speaking of experimenting, I tried a new-to-me technique:

Crayon resist fun

I took one of my embossing folders (you could use anything with texture if you don't have embossing folders) and stuck a book page over top.  I rubbed that with the long side of a crayon and then sprayed it with ink.  The crayon resists the ink.  I think this is a crazy amount of fun!  You could also just draw or write with a crayon (or anything waxy...or probably elmer's glue...I bet there's a ton of stuff that would work) instead of doing a rubbing.  And instead of spray inks, you could use watercolors or gouache (maybe even thinned acrylics)...again, there's probably a million things you could test out.  The one in the picture is the most successful one I did, I believe.  I tried using a yellow crayon with pink ink, and that gave an interesting look.  It was just fun whip out the crayons and not know what was going to happen until you sprayed the ink!  Perhaps you didn't know I'm just a kid in a grown-up body!

Finally, I made a kitchen sink necklace inspired by the lovely B'sue of B'sue's Boutique (and who is a friend of my sisters!).  Perhaps you didn't know art journaling is not my only creative endeavor!  You can find out a little more about kitchen sink jewelry from B'sue herself HERE.  And she has a ton of tutorials on YouTube, if you'd like to do some neat jewelry!  And her store (HERE) has a lot of unique supplies, reasonably priced.  This is not a paid endorsement (although if she wants to send me some free supplies, I would not say no...), I've never actually met B'sue...she's just got some neat ideas so I thought I'd mention it...  At any rate, here's my kitchen sink necklace:

All spread out so you can see the individual bits and bobbles

I can't decide whether I should put it on a different chain so that it spread out like the picture above, or if I should leave it like it is and let it bunch up like it does here:

How it hangs on when you wear it

Or maybe I'll just have to make a whole new necklace...there just needs to be more time in the day!

So, what did you get into this weekend?