Quote

"You are an extraordinary woman.
How can you expect anything ordinary to happen to you"

Louisa May Alcott

Spring Canvas Dreams

I had so much fun doing this canvas.  My inspiration was Christy Tomlinson.  I used watercolor on canvas, shaded with pan pastels, cut up various patterned paper scraps, vintage buttons and doodled with pens.  This one will find a place on my wall.  I was very pleased with the final canvas.

Memories

I just finished this journal page for an art journal swap.  I layered book pages, vintage music pages, paper tape, stamps, and used various stencils and glimmer mists to achieve the layered/collaged effect.

Springtime Memories

Azalea

Azalea

Iris

Des Fleurs

Created for a challenge and to honor spring.  Just a fun, quick little journal page.

Deb's Hibiscus

My friend Deb posted a picture of a hibiscus in her Hawaiian flower garden.  I immediately knew that I had to paint that flower on canvas.  This one's for you Deb!

Quilt

I love to quilt and plan to do more in the coming days.  This is a quilt that I made for my granddaughter.  The block on the right has her name and birth date.  The motif in the center is of flowers and birds.  She decided to hang it over her bed.  

Spring

I used to paint in oils and this  is one of my favorites.  It always reminds me of spring and brings back many memories. Oils allow you to create such depth and shading, but take so much longer to dry.  Whenever I look at this piece and some of the others I painted I think maybe I should pull out the oils and give them another try.

The Queen

Another table scraps art challenge.  So much fun!  Black pastel paper, pan pastels, water color, scrap fabric, stickles and free motion quilting on the sewing machine.

Cape Lookout

I love lighthouses.  There is just something about them that has always fascinated me.  This water color is of Cape Lookout.  It is on an island off the NC coast and the only access is by boat.   As a child, I spent many weekends at Cape Lookout.  We would go and stay days at a time.  It was so much fun and I have such wonderful memories.

Poppies

I've been having a lot of  fun with poppies lately.   Here is a journal page I did today using some fabric scraps from my friend Tammy.  Thanks so much.

The Girl

A fun sketch of features.

Last night the moon was the closest to the earth that it had been in 20 years.  Took this shot just as it was showing above the trees.  When it first came up, it was a beautiful red/orange color.

Paisley Zentangles

I love to doodle, so zentangles are a perfect outlet.  You can keep them black/white as this one is, or color in the designs.  They are just fun and relaxing.

Romance

Another journal page inspired by Donna Downey.  This one titled "Romance" is done on canvas.  I used the gel medium transfer technique, painted, flowers, ribbon and other pieces for dimension.  I really enjoy working on the canvas. 

Poppies

My interpretation of Donna Downey's Poppy journal page.  Done on canvas using the gel medium transfer technique.  I drew and painted the flowers, used a different quote and made some other changes.  In the center of the flowers, I did french knots with embroidery thread.  This gives the IRL piece so much dimension.  I love working on the canvas.

Paris Dreams on Canvas

Today is my granddaughter Emma's ninth birthday.  She saw a version of this "Paris Dreams" posted on FB from my art journal. She's redoing her bedroom in a Paris theme and said she really wanted this done for her wall.  It is done on a canvas and varies a little from the original posted earlier on this blog.  Happy birthday my sweet Emma, love Gramie.

Psyco Poppy

                                                                 Having fun with flowers.

Birdsong

I took the piece Birdsong posted a few days ago and made a shadow box out of the inside of a stretched canvas frame.  Thought it turned out very well, since my goal was to create this at a very low cost.  I used paint, paper decoupage and ribbon.

Eagle

This is a framed eagle I did for my dad a few years before he passed away. Every time I look at it, I am reminded of him.  He loved eagles and was thrilled when I presented this to him for a gift.  It now hangs at my house.

 

                                                                 INTERESTING FACTS:

• The Bald Eagle has been the symbol of the United States of America since 1782.
• At one time, the word “bald” (balde) meant white—not hairless—referring to the white head and upper neck of the adult Bald Eagle.
• They can live up to 40 years in the wild and even longer in captivity.
• A group of eagles has many collective nouns, including an "aerie", "convocation", "jubilee", "soar", and "tower" of eagles.

Birdsong

This started out as textured gesso background (actually it was a scrap from the cover of a magazine), adding fibers and paint.  I saw some wooden leaves my dad had made on the scroll saw which I had pulled several weeks ago and laid on my table to be used for inspiration at some point.  Then the image begun to form in my mind of a bird on branches.  The rest sort of just evolved.  I knew I needed something for the bird nest and was mulling over in my mind what to use.  I had walked outside to empty the trash and saw some outer pecan shells laying on the ground.  On the tree they wrap the pecan and fall off in quarters as the tree drops the matured pecan.  Our yard is full of them.  Yep, that made the perfect nest.  Not necessarily on my table but surely was scrap.  I was really pleased with the outcome and think I will buy a shadow box and hang this on the wall.  It is so textural that it really needs a frame with depth.  Thanks, Christy for this challenge because otherwise I'd probably never even thought of this idea.


I just received this awesome comment from the lady who posted the PAO challenge.  This is quite a compliment coming from her as she is an inspiration to me.  From Christy, "Jaw dropingly stunning! Awesome awesome take on this challenge".

Spring

What a beautiful day we're having.  The trees and bushes are starting to bloom.  My tulip tree is blooming, a sure sign of spring is beginning.  I love the first signs of spring after a long, cold winter.

                             In honor of spring, here's a journal page with some abstract flowers.  

            

Giveaway

Found a great giveaway today:

Wanna WIN a YEAR's worth of WeScrap Kits?

Click the blinkie to be taken directly to the GIVEAWAY post!

I came across this quote by Marit  "This is what I learned on my creative journey and this is what you should keep in mind: Call it "scrapbook every day." Call it "art journal every day." Call it "create every day." Call it "write something every day"...call it as you like, but create the way YOU like best. Mix and match and don’t bother how it’s called. Don’t be afraid of the word "Art." Just be free and have fun!".

It expresses the way I feel about art.   I have had a fear of calling myself an artist.  I am afraid that other people will not think my work worthy of that title.  But I have taken possession of the title and decided that as the quote says, I won't be afraid of the word "ART".  I am just doing what makes me happy and scratching that creative itch.

Be Fearless

   I had many comments on this art journal page but the one that meant the most to me was from Kristin who said "That is beautiful. Did you do this yourself? I need a copy,to frame, it is very very touching, just what i needed to see this evening. Very powerful.".