Toy Soldiers and Snowflake Rosettes!

I hope you enjoy this video!

In the Bag Die Tutorial

Some treat bag fun!

Here are some photos of my finished bags!

 The Bats and Silhouettes are on dimensional foam popups!

Color Reference Tags

You know, you don't always need the pressure of accomplishing an objective, to be creative. Sometimes it's fun to focus on learning more about technique or about the properties of your tools, or about color. This week, I'm focusing on learning more about using color! I'm using inks but you can use paint or color pencils to make your set of reference tags!

After I stopped the video, I realized that I had switched the covers on Stormy Sky and Peacock Feathers. So the tag in the video is Stormy Sky and Salty Ocean! So I did a tag the right way with Peacock Feathers and Salty Ocean and put the two side by side here in the photo below so you can see the way it is supposed to look compared to the one I did in the video. There is a big difference!

Here is a photo of the card I showed you also!

The Base and the skull are on pop dots and the clear dome is slid under the top edge of the base and glued only on the edge not showing. This is my version of a card that I beleive was made by Shelly Hickox.

Funky and Carefree Souls!

Have Fun!

Face Painting at the Orchard!

Happy Monday to you! This past weekend I spent the entire time painting kids and adults at a local orchard's fall festival. My partner Donna Harcourt and I started at 9am and finally cut off the line at 5:30pm each day. During that time we painted kids and adults faces and a few arms non-stop! And I do mean non-stop...no meals, no potty breaks, no sitting down even once! Our line is always a 30 minute wait...but they wait and they always go away smiling! It's a wonderful thing for a child to sit in your chair, a little shy and a little antsy and when we finish, their smile lights up the whole place!

Our wqorking table with paint, wipes, and water basins full of brushes!

I am painting a scorpion design on this boys hand...he said it was "Awesome" when I finished!

This is Donna Harcourt with a young customer

This young man works for the Orchard and he wanted me to paint eyes on his eyelids! He got lots of looks and double takes!

Altered Ornaments

I had fun with these! Try it!

Here is a photo of all of them!

Autumn Trifold Card

A really nice card with several fun techniques and colorwork!

Halloween Tags with Sticky Embossing Powder and Metallic Distress Stains!

I hope you will make some art and share it with me!

Happy Labor Day

Happy Labor Day

No videos this week, I've been out of town and so I'm sharing some paintings and projects I have done this summer. I hope you enjoy them and get some inspiration! Everything was painted or done by me with appropriate credit given to the designers.

Three views of a Mixed Media wooden placemat, my design

My design Mixed Media with Tissue paper, spray inks, die cuts, etc

A Watercolor Batik journal designed and taught by Donna Harcourt at Tennesee PWFW Retreat

Tissue covered bottles

Fabric painting design by Janice Miller taught by Donna Harcourt

Pebeo glass jeweled frame taught by Mary Jo Klier at Tennesee PWFW Retreat

Spiderweb watercolor background technique taught by Donna Harcourt in Tennesee.

Image Transfer Coaster

Graphic 45 covered canvas

Prima Make it Take it from CHA

A Joan Johnson rose design taught by Phyllis Gibbs

Palette Painting in acrylic taught by Dianne Hart at Tennesee PWFW Retreat

My own Mixed Media design

Painting of a retro toaster from a photo, soon to be released as an online class

Image Transfer Coaster

This is so easy and fun!

Falling Leaves Bottle Tutorial

This is a messy and fun project! Enjoy it!

Now part 2 because the camera battery died:

And now part 3 just because sometimes I'm jinxed!

Steel Ferro Card and Falling Leaf Bottle Preview

A late night video before a weeklong painting trip!

Stamping with LaBlanche

I saw this done in a LaBlanche video, you can find it there by typing in La Blanche in the You Tube search box.

My battery died at the end so I couldn't show you the distressing I did, so here are some photos!

This is the front after I finished with the inks.

I turned over the paper and added both Vintage Photo and Evergreen Bough Distress Ink to the edges.

I used the Tim Holtz distress tool to rough up the edges all around, and made a few tears here and there. I inked the exposed edges with both previously mentioned inks. Then I rolled the four corners toward the front with my paint brush.

This is the finiahed piece, ready to add to a canvas or other surface such as a book, box, or journal or anything you can think of!

Mold and Pour Fun

I love playing with my Melting Pot...hope you enjoy this video and get your own melting pot out and play with it!

Here is what my first mold, the angel looks like finished. I first covered it with Adirondack Snow Cap Mixative, let it dry then I put some Rub n Buff Gold Leaf on my finger and spread it around into the creases. I love how this turned out. The fact that it is only a partial mold of the angel itself makes it look ancient and broken by age and environment! I'll be using this one again and again!

An opportunity to go to CHA in Chicago dropped into my lap and I am sharing a few pictures with you. I got to meet Tim Holtz! I saw some great things and had so much fun. I also met young Drew of Cardofmyeye video fame,at the Prima booth, and Megan Elizabeth at her booth.
Here are a few photos! The Zebra High Heel Tape Dispenser was a free make and take at the 3M booth...you know I had to make it purple!

I just can't get this photo to behave and right itself!
Now for some fun with Dylusions Ink sprays: