Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Sneaky Peaky at my Helmar Project!

First I covered my chipbboard pieces ( the cup and sleeve), with  patterned paper.  I got the patterned paper from my favorite online scrapbooking and mixed media store Frosted Designs!  I traced the chipboard on the patterned paper and cut out a front and back.  I applied Helmar Professional Acid Free Adhesive.  It goes on super thin and sticks pretty fast! I took my finger and pushed it around and smoothed the paper out, to make sure I had no air pockets.   
Then I took some wooden snowflakes and after spraying them gold, with Heidi Swaap mist from my FD kit. .. I added some Helmar Gemstone Glue and then poured some multicolor seed beads (again from the kit).  I really like how fast the glue takes to set the seed beads.  I was able to handle my project almost immediately and that's important to me.  I don't always craft in traditional spaces.  It's comforting to know, after a few minutes my project and I, can be moved!
    2014-11-28 23.47.16

I then placed the flakes on the sleeve, which one was adhered with my favorite, Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive! I love how that glue seems to almost snuggle between items and the HOLD is MARVELLLOUS!! (chuckles)   I also used it on the coffee sign. I wanted my other snowflake to appear RAISED, so I used  Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots. I put a big clump of it down and mounted that other flake.
 2014-11-29 00.07.09
2014-11-29 00.11.23

Then I added my gift card and I used my clear dimensionals!  Yes clear ones!  I figure if i am going to use something that MIGHT get stuck to the card, might be cuter if it was a clear square scrap dot!  I opened the sleeve and just put a few dimensionals there to hold the gift card in place.
2014-11-29 00.31.30

 so sorry they are very hard to see, they ARE clear! (HA). 

Below is just a few close-ups on the sleeve, that went around my faux coffee cup!
Collage coffee sleeve 
- See the finished project by clicking here

Monday, November 10, 2014

My Veterans Day Post with Helmar..

Veteran's Day with Tamiko

 Hi Tamiko here ::waves:: .  This post was hard for me.. How do you create something to give thanks or tribute to people who put their LIVES on the line for YOU and the rest of the United States, on a daily basis?  I think of all the soldiers and the sacrifices they make to protect us.  Some have left families, not just jobs, but careers, school and much much more. Not everyone who went away, came home! Many went and came home with their lives changed forever.  I could go on and on about how thankful I am for men and women in the armed forces.. Right now.. You are here to see, what I created..
This is an open book card. For this project I chose to use the Helmar Craft and Hobby PVA Glue.  My entire project was all paper.. I felt this product would be more than appropiate for the task!
Besides the glue, I used just basic cardstock, flowers, flourishes and butterflies from my stash. I used  bookboard to dry emboss my pages and a few clamps.  :)
2014-11-07 21.41.44

After I dry embossed all my pages with my Bookatrix board I began to add the Helmar Craft and Hobby PVA Glue to the edges.  It is very important that when you first apply, that you use a little pressure at first.
2014-11-07 21.56.55
The glue adheres pretty fast.  I clamped both edges of the outter pages, while I did other things.
2014-11-07 22.21.22
I wrote on my center page-  Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  John 15:13   Soldiers do it everyday.. EVERY DAY!
2014-11-07 23.34.32
Time to embellish!  Adding just a drop or two of Helmar Craft and Hobby PVA Glue, to the backs of my flowers and butterflies.  I am learning placement is important!  I hear friends in the back of my mind going.. use odd numbers, create clusters with large flowers and trinkle away with smaller ones  ::chuckles::..  I place even more flowers and more Helmar glue on the base of them. 
2014-11-07 23.49.10
Here is a few close ups..
2014-11-07 23.49.36
and one more..

To see the final project click here.


Monday, November 3, 2014

DecoArt Media Line Acrylics


This picture I began by writing a letter to myself..  A letting go.. of yet another person.  I dislike when it happens, but when you don't consider other people and how you can affect them. Eventually you will get tired.. and care less.. then slowly walk away.  

On the artsy part..   I told myself I would no longer use actual brown in my pictures anymore.  So whenever you see it, with me.. 9 times out 10.. it's a conscious combination of colors.  I used my media line fluid acrylics and after gessoing over my letter.. they were applied.  I used the tinting base to add and give variations of the colors.. mainly a magenta, a blue and a green.  To create this brown.. I did an orange and a drop of the ultramarine blue.. I did this skin tone 3-4 times.. it was too light.. then too dark.. then too streaky.. I just hoped i would ruin the image I had in my head.

I put it down.. and come back.. and I finally had something I was pleased with.  Deco Art's Media Line acrylics are fluid.  They are highly pigmented.. not sure if I can emphasize that enough.  When adding the tinting base.. I am able to not only stretch the life of my acrylics by allowing a little more drying time.. I am also able to play with the lighter hues of the color.  Anywho.. this is the picture I created...







Deco Art Media Line Acrylics and Mediums, #100faces

A friend mentioned to me the idea of #100faces.. It seems like a lot, but it isn't really!  If I work up the courage to share all the faces I create, I am sure I would exceed it!  Faces are something I practice, pretty much weekly.  I do not like to draw the more realistic versions.  I prefer cartoonish type figures, unless I am sketching.  When I sketch you are bound to see it all.  From bold deep dark lines.. to scribbles, cross hatching and side pencil shadings.

Today I am sharing a picture I created over the weekend. I started out with wet watercolor paper and some watercolor crayons by Stamp It Up. I sprayed the paper with water and just scribbled color on it.  Simple as it sounds.  Then I took my Deco Arts Media Line Acrylics and loosely scribbled features on the page.. I am using the term scribble more because of Dina Wakley.  In her radiance faces lesson and in her book Art Journal Freedom she refers to some of her drawings as Scribbles.  I can get with a scribble..  (smiles)  I love loosely creating images. Imperfectly creating images.  Setting the viewer up for what I call..The eye dance.  Giving the viewer a reason to question, if the artist meant to do this.. or wonder if there is a bit of an illusion and perhaps a image was somehow formed that is more than visable as a face.

For me.. I liked the idea of the loose scribble and I used it.  To me pictures like this are freeing.  No expectations.. No need for perfection.  No real accountability of size or shape.  Anywho.. let me post my picture..

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Jennibelle 7 days Challenge- Day 1 Markers..

I decided to join my friend Sandy/Vicki on the Jennibelle 7 day challenge
Jenni says the object is to get 7 pieces of paper and to do one thing to them each day for 7 days..  By the end of the 7 days you will have 7 background pages to play with,

So I grabbed some Project Life grid cards I got on clearance at Hobby Lobby!
I don't do project life, but after doing ICAD (index card a day) with Daisy Yellow, these cards seemed more than perfect to do some mini. or index size art.. and it had grids... awesome for me!

Well these post won't be long or I will be discouraged from creating them daily for the next 7 days.. lol  Well day one on my grid papers.. I used markers!


Monday, October 20, 2014

My TIffany Inspired Post Cards

Hey folks.. Just giving a little background information of my Helmar post for 10/20/2014.  I was first inspired to make my own Tiffany Inspired Post Cards from the lovely and talented Tiffany Golf also known as SoutherGalsDesigns!  You can find her YOUTUBE Channel here.

The video that inspired me to play is this one here..


She has been my total inspiration behind these cards.. I wish I could put more on my Helmar's post, but it pulls away from the Company's product, So I post here.

Things I used on my postcard includes:

Here are a few pictures from the process of some other postcards I have in the making.. 






To see my finished project please click here! It will direct you to the Helmar's blog!  Would be nice if you left a little bloggy love, this is my first post as memeber of the design team. I am so excited! :)  I will be doing these again with variation of colors and designs.  I can't wait to send off the ones I created in the mail to my swap partners in the Artful Mail Group and a few other folks! :)  I also love the response the folks at the counter of the USPS when I drop off artsy mail. :)

Anywho.. THANK YOU for your time.. and Don't forget to stop by the HELMAR BLOG or the FB page to say hi! 

Have a great week!

Saturday, October 4, 2014

FACEBOOK #giveaway- Yarn Tree Journals.. NOT MINE.. this was the ONLY way I could pin it to pinterest!! :) Good LUCK to ALL..

I have always been fascinated with Midori's but have not bought one... I would use it to art in I know for sure.  but with all the bells and whistles I would want.. I am sure I wind up paying well over a $100 !!  Well.. I'm not wealthy.. I have other things I must buy..   I still admire the MTN and those created of the like!  Saw this fantabulous  and generous #giveaway and the owner is will to ship internationally!  How cool is that!  It is a FB contest.  So you do have to have their account access to enter.. but the rules are here!  Pinterest wouldn't let me upload the picture.. so I created a post to show what  was being offered. These are fabulous and the owner has a great selection in her etsy store as well.. :)  Enjoy and Good LUCK!!.. I only want 1.. :) There are more!! :)
Rules below.. and here is the link to the actual post here.  









I'm ridiculously pleased to announce that Yarn Tree Journals are now available in my new Etsy shop. Handmade from beautifully tactile leather or felt, these journal covers make note-taking, journalling, business planning or just doodling a real joy!

To celebrate, I'm going to give away a custom Yarn Tree Journal to one lucky liker, worth up to £35. Here's what to do ...

1. You must be a liker of Yarn Tree Studio.

2. Like this post (sharing isn't compulsory but would be amazingly helpful in spreading the word).

3. Check out my Etsy store to explore your options.

4. Comment below with your choice of leather or felt (other colours are shown in the pics), and cover size (you can choose between Primer, Novella, Sonnet and Haiku).

The giveaway will run until 8pm on Sunday 5 October 2014, when I will choose a winner at random, and I will contact you to discuss your requirements in more detail.

Phew! Thanks for reading, and good luck! xxx

(This giveaway is in no way associated with or endorsed by Facebook.)

www.etsy.com/shop/YarnTreeStudioUK

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Road to Radiance Day 8- Joanne Sharpe!


Artist today is the infamous Joanne Sharpe! I first found Joanne on Youtube, then in a Strathmore card making course!  I loved her instantly.  She was humorous and totally made EVERYTHING super easy! She connected with me most because she gave me BASIC supplies as a foundation.  Supplies which are accessible from just about anywhere.. even a local pharmacy.  She also added to my ART PEN fetish!!  She introduced to pens I had never known, Koi water colors, Peerless Water colors.  She made me realize that my dark shell in appearance actually held a ABUNDANCE of COLOR ready to explode!!  My favorite COLOR by name may be any hue of purple.. but my heart BLEEDS for NEON any and EVERYTHING!  She taught me to embrace my handwriting.. Which isn't so terribly bad!  I don't own a lot of written stamps or sentiments.  Joanne helped me build the confidence to embrace our imperfections in not just lettering but also doodling!  I am not a carefree doodler.. I am so focused on the perfect picture.. or as close to it as I can get. Joanne has taught me several times to let it be loose.. frame it.. and let it go.. I have had MANY a FUN DAYS with watercolors and and waterproof pens.  Below is my cover my journal.. to one class I took with her based on her book The Art of Whimsical Lettering .  To find out more about the Road to Radiance. Click here


Here is Joanne's Bio

Screen Shot 2014-09-30 at 9.52.26 AM “Whimsical art maker” and best selling author, Joanne Sharpe is a colorful mixed media artist and enthusiastic teacher with creative savvy in art journaling, doodling and illustration. She is well known for her signature style of distinctive  hand lettering and love of bright, bold colors. Whether teaching with paper and pens, paints or a sewing machine, Joanne encourages others to nurture their own personal creativity and artistic expression.
Her brand new book “The Art of Whimsical Lettering” from Interweave has gone gang busters in the mixed media, craft and hobby category. Experience Joanne’s playful art, high energy, and masterful art making techniques in several online classes or live workshops and retreats nationwide.
Mom of four “twenty-something” kids, a golden retriever, a shih tzu and sibling Bengal cats, Joanne and husband Tom reside in a sleepy little suburb of Rochester, New York, between the two snowiest cities in the United States.
Find all the artful scoop on Joanne’s blog  “Whimspirations”.

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Monday, September 29, 2014

Road to Radiance Day 7- Dina Wakley


Wow, Wow, wow.. Dina Wakley.. I finally just got my library to get Art Journal Freedom!  You can tell she is going to be an awesome teacher if you EVER even glanced within this book!!  Now I have to buy the book!  I have a habit of checking books out at the library to see if it's something I want to spend money on.  This book is indeed a must have!  She teaches you terminology.. gives you explaination as to why we feel certain things might be missing from our artwork.. Sometimes its all in the placement.. Amazing!  I love her use of colors and I plan to get the entire line of paint!  I have never owned any heavy body acrylics and her lines looks totally yummy!!  Her stamps make me happy.. WOW.. truly happy!  Can't wait!  You can see something I did with her faces stamp here

Road to Radiance information can be found here



Here's Dina's Bio

Dina Wakley sm 2Dina Wakley is a mixed-media artist and teacher. She loves everything about art: creating it, thinking about it, looking at it, and teaching it. She lives in sunny Arizona with her husband and three boys. Dina’s work has been published in many magazines and books.
Dina is passionate about teaching art. She teaches both in-person and online workshops. She is a docent at the Phoenix Art Museum, where she gives tours to school groups and gets kids excited about art.
In partnership with Ranger Ink, Dina designed a line of mixed-media art supplies that includes acrylic paints, mediums, brushes, rubber stamps, and stencils. Look for the Dina Wakley Media Line by Ranger at a store near you.
Dina loves hanging out with good friends, reading good books, cooking good food, and traveling to good places. You can visit her at her website: http://www.dinawakley.com

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Sunday, September 28, 2014

Road to Radiance Day 6- Jamie Dougherty


Who doesn't know Jamie?!?!?  I have been a fan of her art well before she had stamps to make everyone else feel like they too could create it too.. Her technique.. her colors.. she gives *realistic* approach to all her blooms.  Her images look beautiful.. and sexy.. and dream like.. She is very encouraging on FB.. well before her Bloomgirls took off..  She is a Prima DT/Educator.. so she has also been instructing us for long periods.. I wish her the best!  I love to see her create on wood planks.. then canvas.. then journals.. truly a joy to see.. and hopefully i will get in one of her classes also.. lol

Here is just one of my BloomGirl creations with the help of Jamie's stamps.. :)

http://instagram.com/p/l1w-XdlUUa/?modal=true 

couldn't find the image to upload..

Here Is Jamie's Bio

Screen Shot 2014-09-28 at 12.00.05 PMJamie Dougherty is a self taught artist, author, and Mixed media instructor. She has been creating art for over fifteen years and has recently created her own signature line with Prima Marketing Inc. Jamie enjoys teaching and does everything she can to inspire and encourage others in pursuing their dreams––art is meant to be shared. Jamie lives in southern California with her husband and two beautiful kids.
You can find her website here.

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Road to Radiance Day 5- Kylie Fowler :)


Learn more about the Road to Radiance here.. :)

Day 4s artist is Kylie Fowler.  She is the one I know least about.. :(  From what I gather from her style though. I like her lots.  She does rather whimsical characters, but they seem to be more trendy.  More here and now.  I like her use of colors.. as I saw in her fairy god mother post from Lifebook.  I also like the portraits that she does in general.  She is now one of the folks I know everyone needs to watch.. :)

Here's Kylie's Bio

Screen Shot 2014-09-27 at 10.29.26 AMWorking in a variety of styles, using various media, Kylie Fowler is a portrait and mixed media artist, illustrator and art instructor, with a fascination with the face, particularly the eyes.  The old adage ‘The eyes are the windows to the soul’ certainly resonates with Kylie, as her level of connectedness to each artwork is determined by the eyes.
In addition to selling her artwork in her online shop, ‘Blissful Pumpkin’ Kylie also keeps busy with commissions, both in portraiture and whimsical mixed media, and is in the planning stages of establishing her own online classes, and upcoming collaborative classes, all of which will be shared in due course.
Kylie’s work and activities can be followed at: Blog | Facebook | Flickr Gallery

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Learn more about the Road to Radiance here.. :)

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Road to Radiance Day 4- Julie Gibbons




The Road to Radiance starts Oct 1st, 2014


Today's featured artist is Julie Gibbons.  I learned of her from Index Card a Day Challenge over at Tammy Garcia's Daisy Yellow.  While I am not a colorful person in appearance.  I beam with it in my art!  What I mean is I usually dress dark.. I don't wear anything fancy or bling-like as far as jewelry is concerned.  I do my best.. NOT to be seen. The only things of color you may see on me.. is an occasional ring or set earrings in blueish-purple/deep purple..  Purple is a symbol of my personal powers within.  What that is.. I don't know. lol   Which leads to my constant inquisitive numerous queries about goddesses, the cosmos, gemstones and mandalas. I have always been drawn to people who also like those things even before I knew those things about them.  Julie Gibbons is one of those people. The first time I saw a green face and purples eyes.. or vice versa.. I had to know more about her art.  Then I saw a mandala.. I was hooked!  I am not usually good with names, but she was one of those people... I knew I needed to know more about!  So happy to see her included in this powerhouse collective as she is also a allstar for me!  Here is also a Mandala I did with Julie's pdf..  I have to take one of courses soon.. Wish it was this one.. with everyone else!!


Learn more about the Road to Radiance here
My mandala from Julie's pdf.. 


Here's Julie's Bio

Screen Shot 2014-09-26 at 11.03.58 AM
Hello creative friend. I’m Julie Gibbons : artful self-discovery guide. What that really means isthat I share artful techniques to help women invoke the creative magic they need to discover their whole, true and best self. I combine art and journal therapy with the psychology of self to tap into soul wisdom and experience personal growth, healing and transformation and am a wee bit obsessed by mandala magic!
I’m based in bonnie Scotland and work from home alongside my internet entrepreneurbhusband and free-range, home-educated teenage son.
I’d love to connect with you online : Website | Facebook | YouTube

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Thursday, September 25, 2014

Road to Radiance Day 3- Christy Tomlinson


Road to Radiance.. created by Effy Wild, Starts Oct 1st, 2014!

Christy Tomlinson!  Layers Layers and more layers.  She is another artist I have followed on YT!  If I ever get the money I am going to one her retreats with friends!  Yep.. Lottery winnings is a retreat at Christy's for a few of my closest friends!  She teaches me it's ok to be messy and things can be fixed or modified all the time!  I like painting with my fingers and smudging colors and making paper girls without faces.. lol  Love her and her connection to her family!  Love seeing some of the home decor.. I remember a bathroom piece I saw on IG.  Awesome.. Awesome..  Would love to study under her too!!
Learn more about the Road to Radiance here



Here's Christy's Bio:

Screen Shot 2014-09-25 at 10.04.12 AM
I am a self taught mixed media artist who isn’t afraid to get my hands messy and let my heart be open.  Over the past couple of years I have been blessed to travel and teach all over the world, including the United states, Europe, South Africa, Brazil, Australia and more. I also love teaching online full-time and offer over 15 online workshops currently.. in all styles of art.. mixed media, sewing, jewelry, watercolor. I love mixing mediums to create unique projects!
We also host week long art retreats in my home, called our She Matters Retreats, where guest stay in my home and are pampered all week by my husband’s amazing cooking and we create art and make memories and it’s a magical time!
Besides teaching online and in person, my husband and I also have an online mixed media store, Scarlet Lime, where we sell all sorts of fun mixed media and unique products to create with. We have a monthly mixed media kit club as well as a monthly video Art Society Club.. which keeps us busy full time!
Besides work.. (which I consider fun ).. we also have 6 amazing kids. Five boys and one girl ranging in age from 18-9. I am BEYOND blessed to be able to stay home with my husband each day and work and raise our kids in a small town with good family values and strong faith in Jesus Christ.  I love to snowboard, read good books, surf, spend time with my kids and dear friends. I LOVE creating in all ways.. I live a blessed life and am so grateful for this life God has given me!

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Road to Radiance Day 2- Tam Laporte



Road to Radiance.. created by Effy Wild, Starts Oct 1st, 2014!

Today this post is about Tamara Laporte.. or Tam!  We share the same shortness for our first names! Ha.. yep.. sound like a fan?  Indeed I am.  Tam's ability to be kind and show kindness totally shows through her work.. Not just as an artist, as a mum and a person.  Her love for layers and colors.. her ability to feel empathy.. and wish for others to heal within their art.. with help of her teachings.. within their own artistic journey is more than awesome.. Tam taught me my first whimsical face.  I had asked a friend.. what did she think my artistic style was.. She told me she always saw me as whimsical artist.  Wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing at the time, but I accepted it.. :)  I think Tam is one of the BEST in the industry!  Ok.. I need this class.. Although most of Tam's classes are more affordable.. I just don't have it!  I know I would benefit from learning from her as an artist and a person though..  Here is more about Tam Laporte..

I need to be a part of the Road to Radiance

More about Tam..

Here's Tam's Bio:

Screen Shot 2014-09-24 at 10.54.27 AM
Tamara Laporte (also known as willowing) is a mixed media artist, illustrator and online art teacher who loves avocados, kindness and making a wonderful artsy mess on her desk. Her work can be described as “mixed media folk art”. It ranges from whimsical children’s illustrations to a more stylised fantasy art. Love, mystery, innocence, hope, spirituality, kindness and self-connection inspires her art work. Her paintings often contain healing themes, uplifting messages and inspirational poetry. She believes that the act of creating art can be a catalyst for healing and personal growth – often, her art classes contain an element of self-development as well as learning art techniques.
She is deeply passionate about helping people find their inner muse and would love to help YOU too to get in touch with the artist in you!
She is also a prolific art journaller and creates stuffed toys and art dolls when she has the time. More recently, she’s started dabbling in the world of digital creations and has come to enjoy making paintings in Photoshop with a wacom tablet as well. Her work and articles have been published in several art magazines and books. She is based in Brighton in the UK with her lovely husband Andy and her 2 magical children Dylan & Elliot. She’s been teaching online art workshops since 2008 on her ning network which at present has over 15400+ members and grows with about 150-200 mixed media enthusiasts a month!
For a more detailed interview, go here, or check out her website over here: www.willowing.org

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Road to Radiance- I would love a spot here!




Road to Radiance.. created by Effy Wild, Starts Oct 1st, 2014!

In my email I found Day 1 of the fabulous Effy's giveaway!
Artist being featured is Jane Davenport!  Who doesn't Love JD?!?! I think the first video I saw of her she was on a swing inviting us to come and play!  I've been hooked ever since!  I know I would love to take her classes.. but I couldn't afford to take them now.  Maybe later.. but indeed not now.  Jane introduced me to peerless watercolors!  She also made me want to go create on the beach!  I am so not a beach girl.. lol  I love her style, she is someone I feel I could learn from.  Her background in design, her love of color, her spirit..  :)  Anyway, the line up is awesome for the Road to Radiance.

Here is a little bit of information about Jane from the blog. 

Here's Jane's Bio

jane-danger-davenportJane ‘Danger’ Davenport is a professional Artist, prize-winning author and her artwork is featured in magazines, books, movies and her own stationery range. Jane designs signature art products for Artistcellar and Peerless watercolors, hosts ‘Escape Artist’ retreats around the world and her first Mixed Media book will be released with Quarry on Jan 1st, 2015
Danger is a popular workshop leader and her online Art School is home to thousands of creatives from all around the world. You can find her athttp://janedavenport.com

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Monday, September 22, 2014

Fairy- Power of Thought

Playing with DecoArt's Media line.  This was a fairy I did over at the Frosted Design Blog  where we are promoting the Moonlit Dreams Mixed Media Kit.  I was able to use my choice of paints and gessos.  In my dylusions journal.. I first drew my image in pencil and then used a permanent pen.  I then used the Media line white gesso, which is smooth like butter cream frosting.  I added a little water because I wanted my image to show through the gesso.  I decided right away I wanted her to have a cosmic/starry background.. so I then used black gesso along the the edges.  I used my finger and Primary Cyan to create the dark blue sky color over the black gesso. toward the head.. I created a bit of a halo by using the DecoArt Neon in Electric Blue.. again with my fingers... I used Primary Cyan, Doxazine Purple, Primary Magenta and Titanium White to color her hair.

I am trying to be more cohesive.. and bring the colors used in my page together together by blending them, instead of going for direct color.  So when I chose to use the colors I have.. I knew the combinations of some of those same colors would get me shades of brown,, On purpose!  So the Primary Yellow and the Naphthol Red Light I used on the head piece.. I combined and added the Doxazine Purple to get a hue of brown..  Since I gessoed my page I need very little paint and these fluid acrylics are so intense in color it I wasted very little paint!  That I was most happy about!  Practice, practice will get me where I want to be as an artist. Can't wait to start my next piece!



Thanks for Looking

Thursday, September 18, 2014

"Mixing It Up" Loves Cottonwood Arts Blog Hop!!!





Welcome to the Mixing it Up loves Cottonwood Arts blog hop!
This is a closed blog hop just for the members of the Mixing it Up Every Day Face Book group so that we can get to know each other better.  Having said that, if you are not in our group, please feel free to leave a comment anyway and come join us over on Face Book. We would love to get to know you better too.  :)  Here's are the links to every ones blog, remember in order to have a chance to win the prize package from Cottonwood Arts you must: Be a blog hostess  and leave a comment on everyone's blog



Cat von Hassel-Davieshttp://www.catseyestudio.us/
Betty Guffey Richardson http://artyauntie.blogspot.com/
Tommy Jo Vilello Anderson http://www.tommyjovilello.blogspot.com
Melissa Willard Edwards www.melissaedwards.org
Tamiko McCurry http://mikosspot.blogspot.com   you are here


We were also asked to answer a few questions 

before we posted our art.  


Are you a journal hoarder? How many do you have and why different ones? Maybe post a picture of your journals. 


I don't think I am a journal hoarder... yet. (haha!!)  I only have eleven! Nine I play in. Two I haven't, because one I received as a gift and it's a duplicate of one I am already working in. I do love working in it, so I dare not give it away! The second is a new purchase, less than a month old and I just have others to work in right now that I am very pleased with.. 
Like this Cottonwood!  

I have different ones because of the paper characteristics and what works best for me.  I like to sketch.. Would I place my pencil sketches on heavy duty papers? I may truly go simple and use a sketch book or a line-less art journal  or some super uber cheapo book (which I did not include in my art journal totals).  Sometimes I may want to do several layers, as if I was using a canvas.. I wouldn't use my sketch, although i could glue several pages and gesso and yada yada.. but why??..I would just grab my mixed media journal.. or a heavy duty 140lb water color paper to hold that. 

 Anyway.. Different companies meet my needs different ways.. So I am forever looking for the perfect book for various things.

Here is a quick couple of photos of my wittle babies.



From the top is my Loew Cornell, Moleskine Sketch (unused), Strathmore 400 Mixed Media, a Michael's Sketchbook and two other Strathmore 300 Mixed Media Journals.. (there are other Michael's books probably in the car or hidden in bags.. but I rarely use them.. I won't count them either)



Here we have my Cottonwood Coldpress, then a spruced up Dollar Tree Composition book, a Canson XL Mixed Media, Dylusions, and a Dick Blick Mixed Media Journal. My largest journal is only a 9in by 12in.  I did not included any paper pads/books I was basically going to tear from to create smaller pages, ATCs or whatevers.  I also did not include any unfinished handmade signatures or junk journals (innocent look)..



Now on to my page.. ::smiles::


My page says:  Art washes away from the SOUL the DUST of EVERYDAY Life..-Picasso

Do I believe that??  TOTALLY!!  

created with Faber Castell Gelatos, DecoArt Media Gesso in white and black, Sakura MoonLight Gelly Rolls Pens and Sharpie (water based) paint pen in white and a cosmetic sponge


This is the first page of my Cottonwood Coldpress journal.  This journal feels like it's for the professional artist; the artist who takes his/her work seriously. This is the smaller of the two sizes available.  I will indeed plan to buy the larger one AND use it! The quality of the papers within it are supported by a kind of board, if you will.  So you are not just getting papers in a Cottonwood journal. The pages lay flat and there is NO BLEED through, which is a plus. You won't have to worry about any puckering because of wet medium.  You would truly have to saturate the page to see that happen.  I am very impressed with the quality of the book.  It's one of my favorite! 

 Can't wait to do the drawing to see who gets the Cottonwood Prize Pack!!  The winner will receive... 



If you are on my page and you have not seen the others, 
the links are listed above!

We hope you are enjoying the hop! Please subscribe to my page while your here and I will subscribe to yours, if I haven't already!!

Enjoy your weekend and thanks for stopping by!! :)