Smile

This tag uses chipboard and diecuts. I made a doily stencil with one of my diecuts. Used it in the background with spray ink and then used the aluminum foil piece to put on the tag under the saying. The key is made from a recycled cardboard piece that my 18 m/o grandson painted, and then cut with TH die. The stamp saying was stamped on deli paper and was one I hadn't used yet.



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Art Lives

Tag background is alcohol ink on Yupo paper. Art Lives is a stamp that I haven't used in a very long time. Stamped houses and then distressed with pen work. I had a real shaky hand when I did the pen work but really liked the outcome.




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She rises high into the unknown

I started this watercolor with the intent of trying a new technique in the background. I used my Dr. Ph Martin's hydrus watercolors and crumpled Saran Wrap on watercolor paper. It made such a beautiful background that I decided to go ahead and complete the page. The colors were perfect for this girl who was inspired from a clipping from the newspaper. The hydrus watercolors are so vibrant. I love working with them.






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Bluebirds

My friend Marie posted a picture of bluebirds at her bird bath.. The little one so captured my interest that I had to do a watercolor of it. The little one looks as if it wants to speak to me. He's so cute!





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Snowy Day from Leon

We had a snow storm last night in the south. Here are a few shots taken today. I measured 5 inches on my walk around the neighborhood. It was a beautiful, fluffy snow. Easy to walk in and clean off the cars and deck. Went out several times and really enjoyed being outside.











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Documented Life week three

January 12 Challenge (Week Three) - Add an envelope from your mailbox. Get creative and add the whole envelope or parts of the envelope. Journal on it, write notes on it or use it as a pocket!








This is the final page. The orchid watercolor is a tag. It pulls out from the top. I inserted it into an envelope that had a clear place for an address. Then I used mixed media to make mail art out of the envelope.






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Journal52 Project

Week one was Up, Up and Away.


I made this journal page for the Journal52 project. The first week was Up, up and away. I started out with intentions of just doing a background for later use. Then all of a sudden it began to come together using this theme. Before I finished, I ended up using nine stamps that I'd never used until today. Some were ones I'd had for along time and a couple were fairly new but hadn't used yet.

The quote is "the journey awakens the soul". It is one of TH stamps.

She's dreaming of a journey. She wants to go somewhere where she feels as free as the birds she watches fly away.







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Challenge Week One of Documented Life

I am participating in a challenge by five artists called Documented Life. Since I journal everyday and keep several art journals at a time, it was a perfect challenge for me to participate in.

Week one challenge is to portray your front door. You can do this anyway you want. Since we use our back door more than our front door, I chose to do it. Here's my page and the reason what the door signifies to me.







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Knitted Hat

My daughter is an APP State graduate. Several years ago I made her a scarf with APP's colors. I had some of the yarn left so I decided to make her a hat to go with her scarf for Christmas. I found this pattern some time ago and taught it to a friend of mine. She'd made so many of them, I decided to give it a try. This is actually the third one I'd done since Thanksgiving. Since it was rather plain, I made a flower ( on a pin ) so she could remove it if she didn't want the flower. It really snazzed up the hat quite a bit.

I've already made another hat and half way through another one since making this hat. It is an easy pattern and I usually knit at night when watching TV. Her hat is the only one with a flower. Each hat looks completely different depending on the yarn. So since Thanksgiving, I have made four (almost five) hats and a scarf. Not bad, me thinks!

Next I think I'll attempt some fingerless mittens.




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Christmas tree O Christmas tree

Before the tree comes down signifying the end of this years Christmas season, I thought I'd post a picture. The picture is mainly for me to remember what a beautiful tree we had this year. It was the perfect size for our living room. I'll keep it up until the 1st so I can enjoy it for a few more days. I love then Christmas and like to enjoy it for the whole month of December. I especially like to keep up the tree and other decorations through my birthday, which is tomorrow. It has been my tradition for as long as I can remember.




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Poinsettia

I did this Poinsettia in watercolor. My poinsettia plant had lost one of it's stems, so I used it as a guide for drawing and color. I was also influenced by Lindsay (thefrugalcrafter).

I want to mat and frame it but cut the paper at an odd size for commercial mats. Guess I'll have to cut one myself.









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Vintage Santa

I requested Lindsay from the FrugalCrafter do a Vintage Santa. She did one on tan toned paper and used Pastel Chalk pencils to draw him. So I decided to try it, too. Here's my version. He was so fun to draw and thought he turned out so cute. I still want to do a watercolor one but decided to try this first. Wouldn't have thought of the pastel chalk pencils without Lindsay. I have learned so much from her and really enjoy her videos.

Her link is www.thefrugalcrafter.wordpress.com






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Tags

Thanks to Lindsay the FrugalCrafter for this idea. I painted watercolor tags to attach to gifts for friends. They can use them as ornaments or bookmarks after they open their gifts.






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Christmas Wreath

It's beginning to feel like Christmas!

I made this wreath from Frazier Fur branches the tree lot guy gave me when we bought our tree. I have enough left to do a smaller wreath. I love making wreaths and usually do a fresh one every year for my front porch.





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New art course

http://jeanneoliverdesigns.com/blog/2013/12/03/brand-new-art-e-course-and-a-huge-art-supply-giveaway/#comments




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Experience each day

I didn't set out to do another thankful page but it just happened so I thought I'd share. I did this watercolor earlier in the month but knew the page wasn't finished. I hadn't found a quote that I felt fit this page. But this morning I saw this quote and felt it was perfect for what I wanted. Now the page is finished and I am happy with it.




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All you need is love

This art journal page was inspired by our church bulletin. The minute I saw it, I knew I had to do a page with it. It is based on I Cor. 13.




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Thankful

I've done quite a few things lately but I just haven't posted. This art journal page was a result of a challenge. I love fall and all the beautiful colors of fall. The challenge was to do something about being thankful. I have so much to be thankful for in my life, I just wanted to express that thankfulness.




I used alcohol inks on parchment paper to make the leaves. The bigger background leaves were inspired by some real leaves I found in a store parking lot. They were drawn, painted and cut out to collage on the background. After collaging I added some more color with pan pastels. The three oak leaves were die cut on some book paper and paper towels used in cleanup from another project. I used my black stabilo pen to give depth to the leaves.
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Fly

Time to spread your wings and fly




Inspired by a challenge to use three diecuts.


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Junelle's new class

Just watched the open house teaser video for Junelle Jocobsen's new class. Here's the link :
http://yesandamenblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-art-of-goodness.html

She's a great teacher and her videos's are fun to watch. She has such a sweet spirit. I've enjoyed every class I've taken with her.

She has an open house this week and is posting some samples to get you interested. Here's a quick and I mean quick, like three minute watercolor I did from watching her open house video. For this one, I decided to use water color pencils.




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Falling Leaves

This art journal spread was really fun to create. It was inspired by a page that I saw where the artist used manilla tag's as the base to create the leaves.

This jump started my creative energy and off I went. I love this page!

I used Manila tags as the base to cut the tags, acorns, and pumpkins. The media included in these two pages were distress stains. Inks, gelatos, paints, Pitt pens, gesso, thread, stamps, TH tissue paper, glossy accents and grunge letters.




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Mrs. Pumpkin Man

An oldie but now a classic Fall decoration. I did this one back in 1999. It is acrylic done on slate. I love her and display her every Fall!




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Door Challenge

I was challenged to do a door, any door, any medium. I chose a rust door done in watercolor and some mixed mediums elements thrown in. Just playing and having fun.




I decided to take this piece and make a journal page. I love to use created background pages to enhance the artwork.




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Think FALL

I am thinking FALL today!

I love the colors and smells of fall. All the reds, yellows, oranges, greens and rust colors immediately bring fall images to my mind. This is the time of year when I get my ALL things pumpkin fix. This year they have a new pumpkin flavor of M&M's. had to go to two Target stores to buy what ended up being the last bag. Very good!

Pumpkin flavored coffee and creamer is my favorite coffee. I always buy enough to get me through the year because it is usually only sold in the fall.

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Breathe

This page was built around the orange/rust colors in this girl. She was on a piece of junk mail that I got. When I saw her I knew I wanted to create a page in my journal around her. I just loved the colors.




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