29 Faces

Over at Ayala Art blog, there is an art challenge called 29 Faces. In May we are to draw or do a face in whatever medium each day with 2 days of grace.

Since starting to sketch in January and doing mostly portraits, I think this will be fun and exciting to expand my portfolio. You can click on the button on my sidebar to see all about this challenge and I hope starting May 1 you will come and visit me and give me some feedback on my sketches. I would love to hear from you and if interested, join in. 

So off to sharpen my pencils and get my thinking cap on....I am a little nervous but excited to start a new arty journey.

Til next time.....

♥

Shout out to my friend

Hello everyone,

I want to let you know a friend of mine I have known a long time, Becky, is going to have a giveaway as soon as she reaches 85 followers. So if you don't mind please take a peek over at Country Lane Folkart and say hello and follow her. 

Becky is a very talented Primitive/Country painter and she has an etsy shop and an online shop for her painted items. All the details are on her blog so take a wander over.

Becky recently added to her chicken brood and she has some really fun pics of the characters that have just recently moved to the coop to join the adult hens.

Thanks everyone and have a super weekend.

♥

No waste in this house

Well have I got something to show you today. 

The other day I wanted a square canvas to do one of my mixed media girls on so I cut the 5x7 canvas board to make it 5x5. I had a 2x7 piece left over and was about to toss it when my hand stopped at the garbage bag. I then put the piece down thinking what can I do with this???..... hmm.

Well I cut that piece to make 2 more mini canvases of 2x2 with just a small piece left to throw out. 

And here is what I did with those small canvases, they are so much fun to make. I did layers and layers of painting using bright colours, sequin waste for a stencil, bubble wrap as a stamp, gesso and some have a few pieces of paper that I first collages then painted over for added texture. A couple canvases I put crumpled tissue paper that I got from a gift at Christmas and before you know it it was transformed into a background.

I made wings using Webster Dictionary pages, wire and Glossy accents and various other elements hanging around. I had some chipboard Maya Road houses that I have had forever, some ARTCHIX eco shaped cats and this is what happens when you get a mess in front of you. 

I added a niece piece of scrapbook paper on the back then added a square magnet (dollar store buy, the photo magnetic sheets) and added my name and Studio name. What a  nice little RAK to send to someone or add to a trade for a just because. No waste in this house....I found some more canvas boards and cut them up using my craft knife, cutting mat and my handy dandy see through ruler. I have some more ideas lined up, can't wait to get at them....

Thanks for dropping by and take care all.

♥♥♥

It helps to have....

Just a very quick post here. I have been using, up til right now, Internet Explorer as my browser and I was having issues with Blogger to even post, not everything was showing up above the composition box so I took the plunge and downloaded Google Chrome. Well here I am posting and I can see all the functions above the composition box and the screen appears to be larger. So......if you are still using IE then I suggest you switch over to Chrome.....it loads very fast and it will take any bookmarks , passwords  etc and move them over. you can set whether you want Chrome to be your Default Browser or not. I chose not to because I will still use IE for most things. Google Chrome is Free!!!!

This may be why the new Blogger is difficult to use. 

Hope this new development helps you, I say Google products are designed to work with only Google as I have just learned. 

Take care and back to art....

♥

It's a little bit sketchy

Today weather certainly isn't the kind of spring weather we are used to having. Snow is in the forecast for areas of Ontario to the north of us but we have seen rain again today. There were a few mixed snow flakes but for the most part it is damp and dreary. What a great day to stay inside, wood stove is going and I was able to finish up a few things.

I told you I have been sketching again, sometimes I take a break from it but I am really enjoying what seems to be appearing on my pages. I have 2 full sketch books now and I am almost embarrassed by the first 2 sketches which I was so proud to show you. Like anything tho, the more you do the better you get, at least that is what we all hope and strive for.

I have been doing some whimsy faces as well but the last face I drew I couldn't believe that I sketched it. I also found while surfing around the weeb that some artists use paper stumps to help in the blending and shading of their pencil sketches. I couldn't find any so I made my own...wow this tool is wonderful. It takes makes your sketch so much softer and in some ways a bit more realistic.

 And these are my whimsy girls. I loved doing these on canvas board. I cut them to measure 5x5, layered and layered with painty layers. I used bubble wrap, container lids for large cirlces, sequin waste, homemade stencils, etc. I have about 4 layers of paint and lots of gesso. This is so much fun to do. I even painted the wings on the bottom 2 canvases (which of course are the same girl but different colours) and added Diamond Dust to their wings. Scrap paper for their dresses and a bit of painty shading around the outside of them to make them POP. Wooowee, these are fun. I am going to add a piece of ribbon at the back and then cover  it with scrap paper. These make great little swap stuffers and sure to make you smile, they made me smile and I made them.

 And this last canvas is a smaller version of my first sketch but I drew it on dictionary paper. I have seen this around the web and have been waiting to try it. I painted a think layer of gesso on the paper first for durability and so I can see my sketch lines and then I coloured the image using coloured pencils. I added the sparkly purple flower from my stash and paper for her dress and a stick on border around the collar.

Well that is it for today folks.

Thanks for stopping by and stay creative.

Anyone want to do a whimsy swap comment here and maybe we can do a small fun swap.

PS posting on Blogger has become a real chore so if this is all out of whack, it can't be helped. Maybe I need Google Chrome for it to work right. Great all I need is another browser. ACK

♥

Feeling a little blu

Hello Bloggers

this weekend I didn't get much done outside, we had rain yesterday which we really needed badly. There have been reported grass fires and a house burned down in a small town not far away so it was time we got some. Forecast for tomorrow....snow to the north of us, they can keep it.

So I did get a couple things done with a swap I am in in May, I got a couple canvas backgrounds painted and ready for some of my sketched faces. I completed 2 sketches in the evenings which I am just thrilled about...

And today I called my dad, he suffers from Dementia and is in a long term care facility on the west coast of Canada. It is always hard to talk to dad, he doesn't answer appropriately and sometimes he doesn't answer at all but I had a need to talk to him just the same, to hear his voice and tell him I love him. He always tells me he loves me too and then  the conversation ends. I am happy to hear his voice but sad that distance and his illness prevents us from having a normal conversation about family, weather, what we have been up to etc. Dad will be 83 this year and I would like to plan a visit perhaps this fall.

Just sharing with you all a little moment of my life,  I know that these things happen and it is a part of life that I have no control over.

Remember to tell those close to you that you love them....even if you have difference with them.

You never know what tomorrow will bring...never have regrets.

♥

The old was better than the new

I knew this was going to happen sooner or later but today I came to my blog to find that Blogger switched me over to the so called "streamlined NEW and IMPROVED" look. Well I DON"T like it.

I wonder if we bloggers petition and do something together if we can get it switched back. I am one that thinks if it ain't broke why fix it. I feel the same way about Face book, I still haven't switched over to their new Timeline and I probably won't til they do it for me.

Anyways I feel very frustrated trying to figure this all out. Too many places to go to just to post and well where everything was a click away now you have to look all over the place for things.

I think I will be giving Blogger a small piece of my mind....anyone feel the same way as I do please comment.

Thanks for dropping by, today was spent doing a good clean before the weekend so I don't have to face it then. I pulled things out, washed up and all the necessary stuff. The doors are open and fresh air is abundant, birds are singing and Rosie is out in the sun porch in her lawn chair having a snooze. Ahhhh such is life.

Well Blogger, thanks for the mess...now to spend hours trying to figure this all out.

Have a great weekend everyone.

♥

RAK's received, 1x3 cards and.....

Wow seems like ages since I posted, although Easter wasn't that far away but I have been keeping busy and trying to stay off the web a bit. I needed to do some necessary things and now I decided it is time to give the house a bit of a clean out and that is going to be an undertaking in itself.

I have managed to sneak some play and creative time in here and there .

I am also into watching Playoff hockey. My Toronto Maple Leafs didn't make it again this year, we won't go into that but now I am watching the other teams battle it out and there have been some battles.

Now onto the good stuff.....

I was blessed last week with 2 lovely RAK's from fellow bloggers

The first one was from Tee over at The Altered Paper blog, I visit Tee's blog a lot and I have been in on only 1 swap but I am going to be in a couple more soon, Tee has the greatest ideas for little goodies to swap, recycling of goods to use in your art and just a lot of sharing of info. I comment a lot over there and Tee happened to read one of my comments about her Stick Pin holders, and here is what she sent me.....

 The little tag, is flipped up at the bottom then some kind of felt or stuffing in the crease to insert the stick pins. The pins are lovely and I can't wait to use them. The dotted paper is a nice note she sent along with it and these beautiful roses made of rolled fabric. Tee thanks so much, I was so surprised to receive it.

Then a day or so after Tee's arrived I get a small box from Amy Jo over at her blog Art from the Heart.

Amy has followed my blog almost from the beginning or soon after and she always leaves me such lovely comments. I was gaffed (my new English word) to open a treasure trove of goodies to use in my art. Amy made me a glass slide pendant to wear, some ATC's, and all kinds of neat things. I have been eyeing some cute polka dot buttons and wondered where I could get my hands on some and lo and behold I get some dotty buttons. I am sending a huge Hug your way Amy Jo, thanks so much for your generosity. Golly it is good to have great blog friends....I love giving but it is fun now and again to receive....I am just thrilled

                                       

Next are 1x3 cards I received in last months Tabby swaps Vintage Children swap. These came last week as well and I was thrilled. I have never traded 1x3's before doing the Tabby swap and they are so much fun and such a small canvas to work with, but these are truly fun pieces. Thanks to Kim for running such a great swap and the ladies that made these. You made 6 and got 6 in return...how fun is that???

 The 6 1x3's below are for this months swap...Some Bunny Loves you over at Tabby swaps and I made sure there was a bunny or bunny ears involved....I had a lot of fun with these....I got my Cuttle bug out and some Co-ordination papers and sanded the embossing on some, I used glitters, gems, sparkly borders and I even used some home made Flower soft. I got a lot of my images either from FlickR, Graphics Fairy and other places around the net.

And last but not least is another Tea card I made using a line of paper from Bo Bunny. When I saw this paper I knew immediately what I was going to do with it and if you read my post about Tea cards you will find a link with full tutorial over at Shawn's blog.

I plan on sending this to someone soon, I think they might enjoy a cup of Green or Oolong Tea.

Well thanks for dropping by.

I can't wait to show you some mini canvas boards I was working on as well.

Stay creative my friends...

♥

Happy Easter

Wishing all my Friends and Family a blessed Easter.

cards, cards and tea cards

Hello Blogger friends,

well I have been on a card making kick, thought I would make a few extras for my stash and they do come in handy for quick gifts, bundle a few together with a nice bow and you have a little gifty with envies included of course.

These cards are small , they measure 3x6 then folded in half. I embossed a panel using my CB and embossing folders, then sanded the paper to reveal the white core inside. Added ribbons, some paper buttons that I have a die for and these cute vintage girls with their lovely hats which I purchased at Ecstasy Crafts in Shannonville.

 I also made a few cards with tea cups and I stamped the tea cup onto scrap paper, then I added some metallic gel pen accents. I cut tiny tags and sewed the tags to the tea cups to make it look like a tea bag was in them. I thought that really set them off nicely. I have a lot of paper to use so why not use it and what better way to create cards. Unlike store bought I think handmade cards are beautiful no matter how simplistic or complicated they are. Not everyone makes them but they are fun to make and receive.

And these 2 cards below are tea bag cards that I got the tutorial from Shawn's blog Poetry in a Tea Cup.

The actual card was posted on Cosmo Cricket's blog but did not have directs, so, Shawn made one up and she let us know on the Bella Creations FB page. They are so easy to make. I didn't have a large enough circle punch so I made a template because I know I will be making many more of these in the future. I just  measured the inside flap, then I cut a half circle out using a paint container the size of the circle I needed. I just traced the half circle onto the paper then cut them out. Voila'.

                      

Thanks so much for the tutorial Shawn. I think these would make great swap ideas, you make a card put 2 tea bags inside and send out to your swap partner. A great way to use up scraps and bits too. If you make any let me know, maybe we could swap and get some interesting tea...

Til next time, take care and if you take a peek at Shawn's tutorial be sure to thank her and tell her I sent you.

Happy crafting friends.

♥