TAG! YOU'RE IT!

Tags are such a fun way to share a bit of our creativity.  Here are a few tags I have made this past week.

First is my Irish fairy.  I sent her to a good friend and how perfect that she arrived today - 

St. Patrick's Day!

Here is my Spring Flowers tag for the Bring on Spring Flowers swap on Addicted to Paper Dolls.

and a close-up of the fun felt flowers with 

a sparkly bead center-

And for Carol's Extra Tag Swap Disney over at Paper Doll Trading I created this-

I dressed my doll just like Minnie Mouse and used some fun Disney papers and embellishments.

And finally-

 for the Star Doll - Use Your Mixed Media challenge over at Paper Doll Trading I created this-

I used a back ground of 3 different colors of modeling paste that was covered with a thin coat of a sparkly Stickles and a wash of watered down white acrylic paint.

I added this cute little felt and chipboard saying 

and some fun feathers and a flair button that says 'Happy'

I hope that you have enjoyed my latest paper doll creations! I'd love to hear what you think so oplease do leave a comment!

TIME TO TAKE A JOURNEY!

Today I'm here to share a mixed media piece I created for Soul Scrappers Challenge #SSQ - On the Road Again...

How this challenge works is that we are sent an envelope filled with goodiers that we need to use to create a layout, card or off-the-page project. When I do the SoulQuest challenges I always end up opting to do an art journal page.

These are the goodies I received - 

The goodies came with a note that told us that all the goodies were selected in neutral colors so part of the assignment was to use color. I opted to use several bright colors which I did using one of my favorite colorants - Derwent Inktense Blocks. This is how it started off -

I discovered by being stuck in my tent all day in practically a monsoon that a great way to activate the colors is by rubbing them with Lysol cleaning wipes.

And here is how my background turned out -

Here are the items that were in my envelope as I used them - 

1.  A bus/train ticket-

2.  2 pieces of patterned paper - 

3. A piece of plumber's mesh -

(it's funny how in different places things are called by different names - I have this and it was sheetrock tape.)

4. A piece of muslin - 

(and here this would be called cheesecloth!)

5. Some road signs -

6.  A piece of ribbon -

7.  A piece of twine -

(here this would be rope!)

8.  Some die-cuts

9.  Some rub-ons (plus a cute little stamp I cut off the envelope we received!)

10.  Some Buttons 

(and a cute little piece of metal from my stash!)

And here are some other goodies I added from my stash -

Two pieces of chipboard

Two Quotes I like about journeys 

(including that cute little piece of metal!)

And now here is the grand finale!

(oh which also includes a photo I took on a very long walk I took at Lum's Pond last summer!)

I hope that you have enjoyed getting a look at how I used all those awesome goodies!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  

I hope that you will come visit again soon!

JULIE NUTTING MEETS MIXED MEDIA

Today I am back to share another glamorous decade doll designed by Julie Nutting.  I created my tag for Fashionable Stamping Challenges #100. I used Julie's stamp Jeanne from the 1930's.

Here is what Julie has to say about Jeanne - 

"Jeanne is a bit more mellow. This was actually my most difficult girl to draw. It was the 1930's, an era of depression and the beginning of war. To me, she looks like she is going to the train station. She rummaged through her wardrobe to find something suitable to see her love off to war. She's a bit sad as she heads back home to start a new life of working in a factory as she helps with the war effort. Although I drew this stamp at least 6 or 7 times before I liked it, it became my favorite."

I decided to create a mixed media tag for this doll. I pictured her either standing at the train station or outside of that factory. 

I started by cutting some heavy chipboard into the tag shape and adding some Dry-Dex spackle to coat the whole thing. Next I put a layer of sand to create a concrete sidewalk at the bottom and at the top I used a brick template by Crafter's Workshop and more spackle.  

Next I coated the tag with gesso.

When this was dry I used acrylic paint in Suede color for the concrete and Barn Red and Grey for the bricks.

The colors seemed just a tad too bright so I took a cotton ball and dipped in watered down gesso and dragged it across the bricks.

And now the tag was ready to add Jeanne.  I put her on using pop dots to lift her a bit off the wall. I added two resin sayings that I felt described how she might feel.

Here are a few close ups - 

I hope you have enjoyed meeting Jeanne ansd enjoyed what I did with her.  

Thanks for stopping by to visit.  I hope you will come again soon.

Please leave a comment to let me know you stopped by and how you felt about my creation.

MY MIXED MEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA!

I played with a lot of my mixed media supplies last night on an art journal page for challenge SSQ25 Under The Sea over at Soul Scrappers.  How that challenge works is they choose a theme and send you an envelope containing all sorts of odd goodies and you need to use them on a paper project.
 
The theme this month was Under The Sea.  As I go through my post you will get to see all the goodies...
 
I started with a blank art journal page that had been coated with a base coat of gesso.  I added 2 colors of acrylic paint by just squirting down blots in various spots on the page and then running over it with a brayer. (2 shades of blue)
 

 

I added an additional 2 colors of acrylic paint using the same method. (pink and purple)

 

 

and another two...(red and yellow - these were mixed to get an orange color which I put on with a sponge brush over the center.)

 

 

Next I got out my Perfect Pearls and went to work...

 

 

It's hard to tell but there is shimmer everywhere...

 

Now you will get to see all the little goodies I received...

 

 

There were two little clouds which I inked the edges...as well as a piece of bubble wrap which I coated with white gesso and stamped across the whole top of the page.

 

 

 

There were two pieces of colored twine...(I added the little fish!)

 

 

A copy of a lighthouse.

 

 

A photo of seagulls.

 

 

A piece of blue plastic netting.

 

 

A quote, a piece of sandpaper, and a few shells.

 

A 3D sea animal sticker.

 

I also added a lot of elements from my stash...some cut up vellum and lots of summer words from some patterned paper.

 

And now...what you have been waiting for...here it is all together!

 

 

 I hope you have enjoyed my journey Under The Sea!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





A BIT OF ART JOURNALING, QUOTES AND A TRIBUTE TO THE LATE GREAT ROBIN WILLIAMS

Over the last few weeks I have created a few art journal pages.  2 of them I had done the backgrounds and wasn't sure what I was going to do with them but now they are completed and ready to share...

The first uses this great diecut eye that was an advertisement I picked up at a museum I went to last summer. The background was started with coloring my page randomly with acrylic paints which I dripped on, spread with a credit card and smeared with my fingers.  I added some Glitter Mists which gave it some nice sparkle. I then took my favorite choice for molding paste - DryDex spackle and a few different templates and went around the page randomly with those.  It worked out great as some of it remained white and some picked up some of the color from the inks.  Then for more added texture I added dry wall tape.  

I added the diecut and then a thought with chipboard letters which I traced around with my favorite black Pitt pen to really have them jump off the page.

My next page was done with several Adirondack Spray Color Washes.  I also sprayed with water and lifted the journal upright and upside down to get some interesting drips.  The other day I finally found a quote I wanted to add to it which I did with my favorite black Pitt Pen.

And finally, the last one I am sharing was done with a variety of acrylic paints spread around with a credit card.  Then I splattered two other colors randomly on top.  I really liked the color combo and didn't know what I was going to do with it. This week the world was rocked with the news of Robin Williams suicide.  He was such an amazing performer - he could do comedy, he could do drama, he could do it all.  I don't think I saw anything with him in it, from the television series Mork and Mindy, to the films Mrs. Doubtfire, Good Morning Vietnam, Dead Poets Society and of course Hook (which I saw almost daily for several months when my youngest son was really young) that I didn't love.  I also suffer from Major Depressive Disorder and have often had suicidal ideation.  It is a very hard place to be.  Even when you realize how much you have to live for - your loving family, children, friends, and in this case a large public following and lots of fans that demon called depression is a powerful one. The pain is devastating, often far greater than physical pain as it hits you mentally and spiritually and then it adds physical dimensions of fatigue, migraines and more. Often you see no way out. Or worse - you see death as the only way out.  I found a quote on humor by Langston Hughes and added this to my page in memory of a man that made me laugh and made me cry on several occasions who shared that demon of depression that I too suffer with.  I pray for his family who are certainly the most gravely affected by this.  He will surely be missed for a long long time and will live on through his films, tapes of his stand up comedy, quotes and more.  This demon stole a great man from this world.  If you or anyone you know begins to exhibit any of the signs of depression please do something to try and get them help. Whether they will admit they are depressed or not, when it's someone you are close too you will surely recognize those subtle signs if you truly listen...and that is what we need to do for our loved ones...REALLY listen.  

I am submitting these pages for Anything Goes challenge #145 at Word Art Wednesday, Outlaw Women Artists Art Journaling, 4 Crafty Chicks challenge #207 Pink, Turquoise and Lime and Flying Unicorn Mid Month Mixed Media challenge.

Thank you for stopping by.  Let me know you stopped by and leave a short comment.  All comments are greatly appreciated.