♥ Hanging out in the Sun ♥
This is a shadow box created using an upcycled paper towel roll. I sliced the roll lengthwise with scissors and used my spray mister to lightly moisten the cardboard. (don’t get it too wet or the layers will come apart.) I then flattened it out using a towel which also helps to absorb extra moisture. I layered the cardboard with text pages from a discarded cheesy novel using matte finish mod podge. Once the sheet of mod podge was dry I made a box out of the cardboard … I intentionally made it “imperfect” so I’d have a shabby chic box when I was done. After the box was complete I added extra strips of text papers to disguise the cuts and folds in the box. Next came the paint. I overloaded my brush with blue paint and globbed it at the inside top of the box. Then using my spray mister again I misted the paint just enough to get it to drip down the inside of the box. After this was dry I used a lighter shade of blue to finish the box.
I used twine to create the clothesline and made a flower from pieces of ripped collage papers. I enhanced the papers with acrylic paints, glitters and rhinestones, and added torn leaves to finish it off. Using a miniature clothespin I hung the flower from the twine.
For the bottom of the box I used Beadz and Martha Stewart confetti. I used a paper rose that I had which I painted yellow and highlighted with orange… I glued on a leave and added a twist of wire. I tucked some dried flowers along side the rose and put this all on top the ripped leaves that I had glued to the backing.
To finish it off I added the “dream” which is ripped from a torn paper tissue and then sprinkled the back of the box with some purple and blue rhinestones.
I love how this turned out. It was a really raw experience to create this as I started with “garbage.” You really and truly can go from Trash to Treasure. This will be on Etsy later today so I hope you drop in to smell the flowers… The dried purple Statice is scented with lavender oil so it’s truly a feast for the senses!
A plethora of paintings, a plate full of pretties, a handful of happiness and a eyeful of eye candy. However you want to put it this is a delicious dessert of desire!
These are my projects of the week with only a few small items excluded. Only two here are completed so far with two more almost over the finish line. From left to right…
- An unfinished shadow box made from a paper towel roll with a flower hung from a clothes line on a summers day.
- My kitschy coasters… completed and on Etsy
- Commissioned teardrop earrings in greens and blues topped with twinkling flowers to shimmer in the sun.
- Flowers fashioned from modeling paste with a wash of garden colors and pearls.
- In the background is the large painting I’m playing with this week… I have several awesome ideas for this and I’m still deciding with path to take.
I just wanted to share what my Thursday looked like from inside the garden studio fence today.
Please take time to drop in tomorrow to smell the flowers and enjoy some iced tea! Until then… God Bless YOU!
I’ve been mad about flowers lately. I can’t seem to control the urge to draw and paint flowers this summer. So I’m embracing the desire and going as over the top as I can with my new passion. This little doodle is one of my new entries in my art journal. I’ve only made pencil sketches in the journal so far which is really odd for me… but it’s been a relaxing way to wind down after dinner in the evenings.
This is a photo of a sketch book entry that I hope to turn into a painting soon…(once I get the canvas for it.) I Photo-Shopped the color into this and thought it looked fun enough to share with you.
I love the long narrowness of this piece and can’t wait to pick up the canvas for it at Walmart next week. I was inspired by the blank canvases they had that were this shape and I just HAD to doodle up something that would fit into the space! I keep thinking up ideas and can’t keep up with myself.
I sold one of my crosses a while back and was asked if I’d make some earrings to match it… and here’s that finished commission that I’ll be posting on Etsy for my the client. Mixed media will go ANYWHERE! ☺
And I’m working on the “nom nom” painting beneath the earrings. I’m using some pearly paints and I’m going to add some funky edging on the painting and some pearls in the center of the flowers… at least that’s the plan at them moment.
My Whispering Wednesday entry this week is done via photo-journalistic style. I’m giving you a glimpse into my messy desk to day along with a few fun facts about me.
*Especially Lime Sorbet tinted paint water. 
♥ Coasters ♥
Sipping into the end of summer soon! Enjoy your nom nom and rest them on these chillin’ coasters when between savoring sips. What a fun way to upcycle those treasured tokens from your favorite restaurant. I made a trio of round summer sun coasters with my recent Poppy theme in a vibrant orange punch color. These will be posted on Etsy tomorrow.
I’ve got several other works going as well… I’m doing a stencil/modeling paste painting in some gorgeous colors that blend well with each other. This is how it’s looking after the first laying of paints…
I LOVE texture… so this is especially delicious for me. I love orange and pink together and how they blend and create an apricot color. There’s something about taking two colors and making a third on the canvas that really speaks to me so I’m really going to enjoy the process that will be this painting. I’ll share more of this gem tomorrow after I’ve had more play time.
Already… 2sday again! So here’s my latest 2sday’s Toys “Show and Tell.”
They don’t look much like toys do they? Nope… but when I’m done they will certainly be some form of eye candy. I bought these to go with some matching plastic summer stemware I bought about a month ago. They are safe for outside and since my secondary focas has been the garden I couldn’t resist these bowls. What am I going to do with them you ask… I don’t know yet… but I do know that when I do use them they will be a fun and funky focal point for something artsy!
I’ll see you tomorrow for Whispering Wednesday and to share some “sketching” I’ve been doing. HUGS and God Bless!
♥ Poppy Power ♥
Done at last! I just finished up this painting. It’s done on a 9×12″ canvas panel. I used a collage papers, tissue paper, part of a cloth measuring tape, glitter, beads, acrylic paints, watercolor pencil, and good old fashion imagination to create this Poppy piece. I guess everyone can tell I’ve been gardening! I can’t seem to get away from painting flowers of one kind or another. Even my art journal is full of flowers lately. (I’ll share a peek at that tomorrow.)
Now I have to decide if I’m going to sell this unframed or with holes drilled in the sides at the top and strung on fibers. Hmm.. Decisions, decisions. Any suggestions?
Today has sped by very quickly for a Monday. I’m sure it’s because I was up to my elbows in creativity. I’m almost done with the coasters I’m working on as well… I’ll share them with you tomorrow. =)
I’m off to the kitchen now to start dinner… I’m getting a bit of a late start … guess I need to set a timer for myself so I don’t lose track of time. =) It’s so easy to do when you’re cooking up creatively!
♥ Psalm 5 ♥
Happy Sunday and welcome back to Psalm Sunday. This week’s TP Treasure is done using crackle medium, acrylic paints, rub ons, punched flowers, collage papers, gold foil, and tissue paper. Most of the Psalms are coming from the NIV bible so they are understood by all ages.
Here’s this weeks Psalm. I like to read them in several different bibles to glean as much as I can from them. This website allows you to change with version of the bible you’d wish to read from with a simple click. It’s at the top of the page with a drop down menu…simple click which version of the bible you’d like and it will auto change for you.
It’s almost time for Bayless Conley so I’m going to skedaddle so I can get some coffee going for Caramel Macchiatos to sip during church.
♥ WIP ♥
I got some leaves added to the painting I’m working on. I was pretty busy yesterday afternoon so I didn’t have much time to sneak up to my studio and play. I did however get some awesome flowers for my fairy garden I’m trying to create so that next summer I can paint in my garden! Heres the delicious Hummingbird flowers I found on my outing yesterday.
♥ Hyssop ♥
I bought two of these plants but mine are about 1/3 of the size of this photo which I found on the net. I placed them on either side of a corner in my garden and since they attract hummingbirds I’ll be placing a birdbath between them as they grow rather wide!… behind them I’m thinking I’ll plant some very tall growing blooms.
With my mind and heart on art and flowers… how the two intertwine… In keeping with the recycle theme that I’ve gotten caught up in recently… I wanted to share the coasters I’m in the process of making. Here’s the first glimpse!
♥ Coasters ♥
The first one is not yet done but I wanted to share the process with you. My new studio allows me so much more room that I’m able to have a plethora of projects going at once. The positive side of that is that techniques from one project bleed over into the rest of the works on my desk… and the negative side is that I have so much stuff out on my desk that I can’t focus because of clutter. I think the solution is to get some kind of decorative bins or bucket to put project items in… that way the supplies for each work will have it’s own “home” and all I’ll have to do is grab the “bucket of nom nom” for each work in progress. I think I’ve found the perfect solution at Winco… so next week I’m adding some of those buckets to my cart.
I don’t know if it’s this way for other artists or not but when I have too many supplies on my desk I can’t see anything. I will look for 30 minutes amidst the mess for something that is right in front of me. I get a huge brain cloud. It’s very strange. I always end up stopping everything and putting it all away… (even though I need some of it for projects…) and starting over. To me the clutter is complete and utter artist block! Does anyone else experience this?
I can’t believe it’s Friday already. I’m kind of hoping to go to Walmart today to pick up a few narrow canvases for a few paintings I’ve made sketches for… and to check out the garden center… yep… I’m expanding my creativeness. I want to fall in love with gardening and with the small space I have I think I’m already very infatuated! =)
Have an awesome weekend… I plan to!
♥ Journal Jazz ♥
I did this last night when tending to dinner… and on into after eating. I got the idea from an entry on Grid Journaling I read. I’m extremely intrigued with the tiny houses I was reading about earlier this week and found this one Here’s a blog that you can read that shows some of the amazing way people some people are living. It’s amazing how they are living like sardines and loving it. If I were single it might be something I’d consider. It would essentially be me living in my studio however… I do that already… hee! But I don’t sleep with my paints.
This entry is the first in my new journal and it was FUN! I didn’t realize how much I missed my “sitting on the couch” relaxation and letting my pens and pencils play. I bet you’re wondering what that burst of color is in the upper right hand corner of the photo is… it really pops out from the graphite and white paper… so here a spoiler on my newest painting.
YUM! Lots of texture and color and bursts of energy! This is incredibly liberating to just not really plan what I’m doing next. I have a vague idea and a color scheme and that’s it… plus I get to use my new easel. I’ve added a bit more since this photo but I’m also playing with up-cycling some restaurant coasters that I’ve been saving between coats of drying paint! I’ll share those when there’s more to see.. right now I only have paint on one. But they also have a garden theme.
Today’s grocery day… so I’ll be getting ready to head out soon but I had to stop for Cup of Soup so I don’t have an empty tummy when I shop… When I do… EVERYTHING looks far too good. Nom Nom!
Well, that’s it for now, come back tomorrow to see what miracles God is working on my canvases. See you then!
Blessings!
♥ This Just In! ♥
YAY! Just in time for a play date! I’m very excited about all of these goodies. I’ve been eying these art journals for about a year now and found them on sale at Jerry’s so I plucked two from the heap and tossed them in my online cart! What a joy. I’ve not been journaling at all since finished my last journal. I tried a Moleskin journal but I really was unimpressed. I favor the spiral journals for their versatility and ease of use, and now I have two to keep me busy for a good long while.
I’m in the middle of packaging and varnishing some orders that I got over night so I’m rather rushed. I do have a toy to share today other than the ones I just got via UPS. I bought this to varnish for my hubs boss… He makes large scale model airplanes… this is a thank you as he gave us a beautiful antique desk that will be used by our college boarder come autumn. I’ll take a picture of the gorgeous desk tomorrow. =)
Until then…. Come fly with me! Come fly, come fly away! See you tomorrow with more chatter. =)
Using the standard trash to treasure technique for my Psalm Sunday entry I mixed it up a bit this time and topped the surface with a tropical umbrella. I recently saw a video online using these umbrellas to create a hanging lamp and I’m SO going to make one. I fell in love with it… The way the colors blend together and with the light coming from the inside…it’s perfect for my studio and can be taken outside and hung from a Shepard’s hook for when you have a garden party. Check out the video here. Now that you’ve seen the video you want to make one too don’t you!? =) Aren’t they great… and SO simple!
Tomorrow’s going to be a busy day for me. I’m going to be packaging up a few items for shipping and cleaning my studio to get ready for my table top easel so I can start in on my Super Sized painting. I’m excited about getting really messy and having fun. I’ll share the journey with you as well. In the meantime…It’s almost time for Bayless Conley and after that I’m cooking the crew a brunch of sausage, hash-browns and eggs (Nom-Nom!) so I’m going to be busy… until later I’m leaving you with today’s Psalm. Psalm 4. Enjoy and God Bless!
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