Super Moon

The other night we had a super moon. Got a couple of great photos. Most of them are on my camera not yet uploaded. But I did get this one to enjoy now. It was beautiful and visible for several nights. I had fun going outside watching it rise and trying to capture it with my camera.

As it first became visible it was huge and a golden orange. So pretty.

Birthday's

I made these two birthday cards for friends this week. One was for a male and the other for a female. I love that these cards can be for either sex. I used my new Bombay India inks. They paint like a dream. Once dry they are permanent. I even painted the envelopes and a signature on the back of the card. I sure hope they'll like the cards. These were influenced by Tracy Weinzapfel.














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Pot of Geriums

I finished my Matisse painting. I was very pleased with the finished painting.





I coated card stock paper with acrylic ground. I sketched with charcoal and added in the darks with charcoal. Then I did the under painting with archival re- inkers caramel, denim and pitch black. I used Golden's Dioxazine purple and titanium white. Then went back and did the final painting using the same products. The colors were mixed just using the 3 inkers and white. Purple was added where desired.


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My little Owls

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Matisse

I've been working on my Matisse "Geraniums" piece. This is the undercoating stage. Sketched in the basic shapes, put the dark areas in with charcoal and then began the under painting. I did this mostly with three Adirondak re-inkers and two colors Golden fluid acrylics. This limits my color palette and allows me to mix my colors.

I am very pleased with it so far. Leaving it alone for awhile to dry and cure. I'm excited to continue. Tried some new techniques for me and am so please with the results.








The Matisse is the top picture in this first photo. I actually found the print in a thrift shop. It was already matted and framed. So i made a copy to work from. I left the original in the frame. It gave me a great reference for my attempt to create it.








This is a close up of my under painting.

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Artful Soul

Sometimes when I work on a piece I know exactly what I want to do even before I start. Sometimes it just evolves as I work. This is one of those pieces. I had no idea where I was going until all of a sudden it began to speak to me and directed my strokes.

The background began with strips of tape and book pages. Then I used inks with a lot of drippage. Next layers were acrylic paints and a music stamp. I popped dotted (raised) a copy of an original bluebird watercolor I painted last week during the big snow. The quote was from Andy Warhol and just sort of fit this piece. I printed it on a piece of Braille paper. What a cool effect it gave.

I had a lot of fun with this piece. Got my fingers messy, relaxed and just created.




"art is whatever you can get away with". Andy Warhol









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Spread Your Wings

I had a lot of fun making this art journal page. I used acrylic inks, acrylic paints, white gesso, black gesso, stencil of butterfly and letters, stabilo pencil, and letters from stash to create the words.



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Abstract - See the eye?

This weeks Journal52 challenge is abstract. I don't do abstract very well but I guess this qualifies. I was going to cut it up for pieces but once finished I like it so I'll probably slap it in my journal.

The most surprising element of this piece is the appearance of the eye.



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Dreams

This background on this tag is alcohol inks on Yupo paper. The flourish is painted watercolor paper and cut with a long sizzix die. The silhouettes are a TH die and cut from heavy textured felt. The saying is stamped on deli paper and one I haven't used yet.



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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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