Work in Progress

It's only Tuesday and it's been a rough week already!  Neither hubby nor I are sleeping well this week....we're not sure why...  Then, to top it off, I woke up at 330am this morning with a swollen eye. Yay! (That was thick with sarcasm....lol)  Ended up at Urgent Care and was told that I have an eyelid infection...I just hope it's cleared up before my trip to Hershey, PA this weekend!

Meanwhile, back in the craft cave....

I'm working on another article for the Pixelated Palette using Dylusions paints and lots of stencils....Here's a sneak peek....It will hopefully will be in either July or August's issue.

Thanks for stopping by....  :)

More from the rainy days.....

Just a quick post to share this canvas with you.... Another post from the rainy week we've had here in Ohio....  This canvas was done with Dylusions paint, stencils, stamps, and Tim Holtz Postale wrap.  The fairy was colored with Distress Markers.  I also used the white PITT pen to add some detail.

According to the weather, it is supposed to rain most of this week.  More time in the craft room to play!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Rainy day....

It's been a rainy few days here in Ohio.... It's been quite awhile since I have seen this much rain here...There was so much rain that there was a small creek at the bottom of our front yard.  I also had to run into work today because part of our shop took on some water.  Hubby and I ran up there for a couple of hours and helped with the clean up.

We're supposed to get even more rain in the coming week.  (I think it's supposed to rain every day except for Monday...)  Us Ohioans are beginning to get a taste of what it feels like to live in the Pacific Northwest.....

The good thing about all the rain is that it is giving me lots of time in the craft room.  I've been trying to split my time between DecoArt media and Ranger products.... The below project combines both...

Supply List

• 8x8 canvas board
• DecoArt Media paint (Cerulean Blue, Blue Green Light, Carbon Black, Green Interference)
• Stencils (Dylusions Small Bubbles, Crafter's Workshop Texturized Stencil, DecoArt Inspiration stencil)
• Stamps (Dyluisions Which Way Up)
• Liquid Pearls (Gold)
• Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Mixed Media cardstock
• Faber Castell (PITT Artist Pen in white)
• Tim Holtz Tissue Wrap (Postale)
• Modeling paste
• palette knife
• stencil brush

First, I decoupaged some Tim Holtz Postale Wrap on areas of the canvas.  After it had dried, I applied Cerulean Blue and Blue Green Light with a baby wipe (my new favorite technique).  I stenciled a bit with a Dylusions stencil using black and then, with a Crafter's Workshop stencil and an Interference, I applied the 'fingerprint-like' areas.  (It's hard to see in this picture, but it's there... )

With a DecoArt stencil and modeling paste, I stenciled the word 'create' on the board.  Using Dylusions stamps and archival ink, I stamped arrows on mixed media paper and cut them out.  I adhered them to the board with matte medium, arranging so I had a circular area in the corner.  Then, I took some gold liquid pearls and spread them in the corner, making the sun.  To finish, I added some dashes on the arrows with a white PITT pen.

Thanks for stopping by!

Dream

I've been playing with the DecoArt Media paints again, working on canvas boards.  This one again started out with baby wipes and two colors (Cad Orange Hue and Primary Magenta) for the background.  Using one color at a time, I dip the baby wipe in the paint and dab the color over the canvas board.  Then, after the first color is dry, I repeat with the second color.

You can't see from the picture, but there are some drips that were made with Dylusions ink spray.  I sprayed one spot at a time, let the color run down the board, and then dried the ink.  Flower and mushrooms, from the Doolally Doris Dylusions stamp set,  were stamped on mixed media paper, colored with Distress Markers, and cut out.  The stem and leaves of the flower were stamped using Archival ink directly on the board and then painted in with Media paint (Blue Green Light).

The 'waves' were stenciled on using Blue Green Light paint.  When the paint was dry, I sprayed the board a few times lightly with Matte Spray Sealer from DecoArt.  After sealing, I applied a layer of Crackle Glaze and allowed it to dry.  When dry, I took Black Antiquing cream and rubbed it into the cracks.  (You can't see the cracks in the picture, but they are there...)  When the cream was dry, you rub it off with a damp cloth.  Now, because the board is textured, some of the cream made it into the textures of the board and I kind of like the way it dulled down the background colors.  I adhered the mushrooms and the flower to the board with matte medium.  The mushrooms and dots on the board were made with a white PITT pen.  The word 'dream' was applied with modeling paste and a DecoArt stencil. When the word was dry, I added some black dots with a PITT pen.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Be Unique

Playing in the craft room again and I was working on a mixed media piece using DecoArt Media and Americana paints, Tim Holtz burlap stencils, Distress Markers, Dylusions stamps, and a little Ranger Archival ink.  I had a lot of fun doing this piece and I even 'fussy' cut a few pieces out of paper to adhere to the project.

Supplies:

• Mixed Media paper 90# weight
• DecoArt Media paint (Cadmium Orange Hue, Primary Magenta, Titanium White, Yellow Green Light, Cobalt Teal Hue)
• DecoArt American paint (Pansy Lavender)
• Tim Holtz Stencil (Burlap)
• Tim Holtz Distress Markers (Picked Raspberry, Salty Ocean, Mowed Lawn, Mustard Seed)
• Dylusions Stamps (Doolally Doris, Bordering On the Edge, Dy's Alphabet, Which Way Up)
• baby wipe
• stencil brush
• round brush (#6 or #8)
• scissors
• collage glue stick
• Ranger Archival Ink Pad (Jet Black)
• acrylic stamping block
• heat gun

1. To create the background, I used a baby wipe.  Start with Cobalt Teal Hue and apply with baby wipe by patting across paper.  When desired coverage is achieved with the Cobalt Hue, repeat with Yellow Green Light.  Dry with heat gun.
2. Using stencil brush and mix of Primary Magenta and Titanium White (2:1 ratio), stencil burlap texture across page randomly.  Set aside to fry.
3. Stamp mushrooms direct to paper on the bottom.  I stamped individually and not all at once. Mushrooms painted with Cad Orange Hue and Pansy Lavender using round brush. 
4. On a separate sheet of paper, woman and arrow.  Coloring/painting as desired. (Arrow was painted using Cad Orange Hue.  Woman colored with Salty Ocean, Mowed Lawn, Mustard Seed, and Picked Raspberry markers.)  
5. After colored/painted images are dry, cut them out using scissors and adhere where desired on paper.
6. Using jet black ink and Dy's Alphabet set, stamp 'be unique' across the top of the paper.
7. Using heart rate stamp from Bordering On the Edge set and jet black ink, stamp images in top left corner and bottom right corner.

Thanks for stopping by!

Exciting news!!!

I've been painting with the DecoArt paints for a few months and I am just hooked on the Media line, so much so that I am using more paint than ink at the moment.

I decided to apply for a program that DecoArt offers called the Helping Artist program.  The program does a lot for artists including pay for being published and free paint for designing and teaching purposes.  I decided, after some thought and convincing by friends, to apply for the program. Well, I found out yesterday that I was accepted!!  I am so excited and honored to be accepted into the program!

On a different note, hubby and I attended the Rhythm and Food Fest here in Urbana yesterday.  This is the first year for the weekend fest and about 50 food vendors and numerous bands are scheduled to attend.  You can get a weekend pass to the festival for $5, which I think is an amazing deal!  We went for a few hours and had some amazing food.  I had the best crab cakes I have EVER had there....  The vendor we bought the cakes off of came all the way from Maryland and the cakes had so much crab meat in them it was unreal!!  We also had some pierogi from a vendor which were also very tasty.  We plan on going back for a bit today for some more good food and music.  They have a pretty nice setup for the bands to play on and there was some good music yesterday...


Off to get ready for the day...  Hope to have another post soon with a new project featuring DecoArt media and Dylusions stamps!

Thanks for stopping by!

Just a little sneak peek...

Just a little sneak peek of something I did for this month's issue of the Pixelated Palette.  The theme was summer or patriotic, so as you can see, I went with patriotic.

This project was done an a 1/4" thick piece of plywood which I purchased at my work Cupboard Distributing.  It's a nice, smooth surface to work on with finished edges.

The background was done with paint from DecoArt's awesome Media line. (I'm falling in love with that stuff!)  And, of course, there's some Tim Holtz product represented on there!

You can get the full project at Pixelated Palette beginning on the 15th of this month.
The e-zine is only $12.00 for a full year subscription or $2.50 for an individual issue.

The e-zine is chock full of projects, the majority being decorative painting.  However, there are jewelry articles, mixed media pieces, and editorials in there as well.  It's not just for the painters...  ;)

Thanks for stopping by!!

More playing with Dylusions...

I believe I have a new addiction....the Dylusions paints.  I went into my craft room today with the intentions of making something with Distress Products, but the paints were calling my name again,

I chose to play with Vibrant Turquoise, Bubblegum Pink, Mowed Grass, and Black Marble paints.  I also used Vibrant Turquoise spray ink and a white PITT pen from Faber Castell.  Tim Holtz stencils (Bricks and Tracks) and Dylusions Stamps (Further Around the Edge and Laugh Til You Leak).

I used a baby wipe and Vibrant Turquoise to cover the background with paint.  Then, I added the Bubblegum Pink and Mowed Grass in areas.  I sprayed three times on the background with the Vibrant Turquoise, letting it run down the page, and blotting with a paper towel.  I added some stenciled imagery using the Black Marble (tracks stencil), Bubblegum Pink (brick stencil) and a foam applicator.  After stenciling, To use all the paint on the applicators, I added circles of black and pink randomly across the page.  More detail in and around the circles was added with the white Pitt Pen.

I stamped some borders up in the top using Black Archival Ink.  The quote was stamped on media cardstock, cut out, and glued on top of the brick stenciled area.

The finished piece is below...

Tomorrow, the hubby and I are checking out the county flea market that happens once a month.  I haven't been in a long time, so I figured it's time to go again....

Thanks for stopping by!!  :)

A Floral Dream

A few weeks ago I was able to FINALLY get my hands on a set of the ever-popular Dylusions paint from Ranger.  I love, love, LOVE the colors!!  I have been anxiously awaiting time to play with these beauties and I cracked them open to play!


Earlier in the week, I showed the beginning of my next project.  I started with a prepped canvas board, with one coat of gesso applied. Then, using Ranger Texture Paste and a palette knife, I applied areas of texture on the board with both stencils and texture tools.
(I am in LOVE with Ranger's Texture Paste and could easily go through gallons of it on my projects.)


For this project, I made a background using a mini ink applicator and five colors of the Dylusions paints.  I applied them just like I would my Distress Inks, using a circular motion.

The great thing about these paints is they blend really well, just like the Distress Inks. The paints also dry very quickly, resulting in very little down time.  The Dylusions paints can also be written on with pens or markers. In my case, I used the Faber-Castell Pitt pens (both white and black) to add detail to my piece.  After finishing with some flowers and buttons from my stash and a stamped sentiment on a piece of canvas, called this finished!!  :)

I plan on teaching this class in the fall at Cupboard Distributing/The Scrapbook Outlet in Urbana, Ohio.  (AKA My Work)

Thanks for stopping by!

Play Ball and a Work in Progress

Hubby and I love our baseball!  (He says I get into more than he does....LOL)  We purchased a 6 pack of Reds this year, something that we have never done before.  Because of hubby's work schedule (he works 6 days a week and then also has to do computer work from), we don't get to spend much time together.  This ensures that we get away for a day and spend time doing something we both love!

We went to this past Saturday's game versus the Nationals and had a blast!  We got our free bobbleheads (we are suckers for those little guys) and watched an action-packed game at Great American Ballpark.  My favorite player, Joey Votto, even hit a home run that landed 6 feet from me!!  If it would have bounced the other way, it would have been mine!!!  :)

Here are some photos of the game, including our traditional pregame selfie:

Pregame Selfie

Pena getting his catcher's gear together.

Mr. Redlegs and Mr. Red

Votto is on second  :)

After getting home from the game, I decided I needed to get into the craft cave and play a bit.  I started a new canvas piece with some texture.   I wanted to play with my texture tools, paste, and stencils and my plans are for some of my new Dylusions paint to end up on here.  We'll see.  :) Ya never know what'll happen?!

Happy crafting!!

New artsy goodies!

I received some VERY happy mail over the weekend...  I had seen some pins on Pinterest (darn that addicting site) that were made using gelatos from Faber Castell...  I've been hearing about these little beauties for quite some time now and just never got around to using them.  These things are so cool!!  I think I might have a new fave in the craft room!!

I got three specialty packs at a pretty good price off of Alleystamp.  I chose the Steampunk, Tropical, and 50s Diner assortments.  Each assortment comes with 4 gelatos, a brush, and a dabber tool.

I decided to test them out on a canvas board and have a little fun.  After applying gesso to the canvas board, I took the gelatos and scribbled on the board.  When I had covered the board to my liking, I spritzed it with water and blended the colors with my fingers...  (I'm sure there is a cleaner and less messy way to blend these, but my fingers were right there and I'm not afraid to get messy!! LOL)

After I finished blending, I went back and filled in voids with color, repeating until the background was covered.  Then, I heat set it with my Ranger Heat tool and had a really cool background remaining.  If you don't like the result, you can go back scribble some more gelato on, spritz, and blend again....so very cool!

Fast forward to a little stamping with DecoArt Media paint using the honeycomb stamp from my favorite Tim Holtz Mixed Media set.  I also used another Tim Holtz stamp, some Ranger Sticky Embossing powder, and Stickles Dry Glitter and added a little random shimmer.  The board was finished with some canvas ribbon, twine, Petaloo flowers, and a stamped sentiment (on more canvas ribbon).  The 'dream' sentiment is from a Dyan Reaveley stamp set.

One of the great things about the gelatos is you don't have to worry about contaminating them....If you get say some blue on your yellow, simply wipe it off with a paper towel... How cool is that!?!

Below is the finished project.... The shimmer doesn't really show all that well in the photo, but I swear it is there...

This defintiely won't be the last time I dabble with gelatos...I know there are many more techniques with these gelatos that I have to try, including blending without water and stamping using the gelatos.... Think I might need some more colors!!!  ;)

Recent travels...

I recently attended the Society of Decorative Painting's Convention in St. Charles, Illinois for my job. What a fun trip!

Yum...BBQ

When we go to conventions, one thing we definitely do is eat!!  So much good food was consumed on this trip!!  One of my personal fave's was BBQ from Famous Dave's.  When the hubby and I lived in the Chicago area, we used to frequent this restaurant a lot.  Just look at the family meal!!  Totally yummy and served in a garbage can lid!!  (LOL...The look on people's faces when you tell them you ate out of a garbage can lid is priceless!!)  

Even though I am not a decorative painter, I always find that I am uber-inspired when I return from these conventions.   So many gorgeous works of art are on display at these shows and it's hard not to be inspired when you are there. 

I also tested out a new Decorative Painting instruction program called Folk It.  Since I have very little skill in painting (and I mean VERY little), I decided to try it out.  The heart 'painting' to the left is my finish project.  This was completed with a stylus, three colors of paint (red, white, and green), a transferred heart image, and a paper towel (to clean the stylus).  The pattern was transferred, so after a little instruction from the very nice lady, I was off. This literally took me all of ten minutes to do.  For not having very little skill in painting, I think it's pretty darn good!!  :)

If interested in the instructional series, which includes DVDs and all supplies (paint, tracing paper, surfaces, stylus, brushes, and more) check them out here: Folk It!

Well, I'm off to watch Hell's Kitchen...  I just LOVE me some Gordon Ramsay!!  

New frontiers....

Painting now... I had used the DecoArt acrylics here and there in my work before; mainly primary colors. I've been playing around with the DecoArt Media line (which I love!).....I absolutely love the richness and vibrancy of the colors. At first, when I started using the media paints, it was a bit of a struggle adjusting as they are a lot different than the Distress Ink that I am used to using. However, after playing with them on canvas, I am completely sold.  Still trying to master stamping with paint, so I'll be playing around with that a bit more.

Below is a sneak peek of my May article for the Pixelated Palette.  The majority of the piece is done with the DecoArt media line and a smidge of Archival ink....

You can subscribe to the Pixelated Palette for only $12 for a year!!  New issues come out on the 15th of the month.  and this e-zine is chock full of articles on deocrative painting, mixed media, and other crafts...Definitely worth the years subscription!!

Thanks for stopping by!!  :)

Just playing around....

I love doing mixed media!  And I especially love doing canvases... This canvas started out with a Mustard Seed background.  Then, I took Ranger Texture Paste and applied it to the bottom of the canvas.  After the texture paste was dry, I applied Salty Ocean Distress Ink over top. Using Spiced Marmalade and the Tim Holtz layer stencil, I stenciled color upon the top of the canvas.

I then took my Distress Marker Spritzer tool and the Mowed Lawn Distress Marker and spritz randomly over the page.  (I love the Spritzer tool!!  It's so nice to be able to use it with different markers and not just the Distress Markers.)  I applied some Titanium White DecoArt paint to the right side of the canvas in a random pattern and then I stamped the Tim Holtz sentiment on the painted area with Archival Ink.  (I haven't had success yet stamping with paint.  I'm told it is a bit of a learning curve, but I won't give up!!)

Using the same colors from the canvas (Salty Ocean, Mustard Seed, and Spiced Marmalade) and mailing tags, I created blended backgrounds with the Ink Applicator tool.  After drying, I took a hexagon punch and made hexagon die cuts.  After gluing the diecut hexagons on the canvas with Ranger Matte Medium, I also adhered two metal corners up top.


Thanks for stopping by!

Weekend in the Windy City...

The view from our hotel room window.

I spent a wonderful weekend with the bestie and her family in Chicago.  It was so good to spend some time with her and see her baby girl.  Her daughter has gotten so big since I last saw her at Thanksgiving.  At 9 months, she has two teeth and is crawling up a storm!!  Auntie Ginger (the name her daddy coined me) adores her little niece!!!

Since the best friend lives outside of downtown Chicago, we took the train on Saturday to the city.   We stayed on Michigan Avenue right next to the Hancock Center.  (Literally, we looked out the window and there was the Hancock Center!)

We ate dinner at Harry Caray's 7th Inning Stretch in Watertower Place.  I'm a diehard Reds fan, but seeing all of the Cubs memorabilia in and around the restaurant was pretty cool!!  And the burgers at the restaurant were so incredibly delicious!!  :)

After dinner, it was off to Joe's Bar on Weed Street for the Dan + Shay concert.  It was a really awesome show; lots of good music and good company with the bestie.  We definitely enjoy our concerts!!  (If you like country music, definitely check out a Dan + Shay show.  They are amazing live and I hope to catch them again soon!!)

Thanks for stopping by!!  Stop by on Thursday for a post on my first, and definitely not last, canvas piece!

A critter pic....

Packing tonight for a mini road trip to see the bestie in Chicago this weekend.  Haven't seen her or her family since Thanksgiving and her adorable daughter is growing way too fast....  We're going to see a concert on Saturday night and just spend some girl time together...  :)

Off to finish...The critters get a little clingy when they see the suitcase come out....I sure do miss them when I'm gone...

I'm here....

I have been MIA lately....The year started with a bout of the flu and then bronchitis (yuck!)...

Then, THE Ohio State University proved them all wrong and won the National Championship. (Hubby and I supported them from the couch, hollering and yelling, even though we were both uber-sick.)  It was SO exciting for them to win, even though it seemed as if EVERYBODYwas against them.   They sure did prove them wrong!!!  GO BUCKS!!


Then, it was off to SUNNY Las Vegas for the Creative Painting Convention for work.  The convention is always fun and the weather is always SO much better than Ohio.  I am a foodie and when I am out there, I always try to eat at a few restaurants that we don't have back home.  I am a HUGE Gordon Ramsay fan and last year, I dined at Gordon Ramsay's Pub and Grill.  This year, we ate at Gordon Ramsay's Burgr, where I had the best (and most expensive) burger of my life.  (It was the Gordon Ramsay burger and was $19.  Totally worth every single penny.  )The fries were absolutely delicious with a curry ketchup dipping sauce.  And  my coworkers and I split a milkshake that was to die for.  (I am serious...the milkshake was absolutely fantastic!  Oreo shake with creme brulee pudding on top....OMG.)

Lots of fun was to be had at the convention and it's always great to meet customers in person that I have spoken with over the phone.  I get to see designs and patterns in mixed media, acrylic, watercolor, and oil. I always come back home inspired to create after seeing all of the wonderful designs and products at the convention.

The last night we were in Vegas, Laura and caught the Rascal Flatts show at the Hard Rock.  It was my 13th Flatts show and Laura's first.  We had a great time and it was an awesome show.

In March, a couple of my girlfriends and I traveled to Gatlinburg, Tennessee for a weekend.  We took a day excursion to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina to see the Downton Abbey exhibition.  Lots of costumes from the show were on display throughout the rooms of the house. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take pictures in the house, but I did get some pics outside the estate.


While in Gatlinburg, we went to the Ripley's Aquarium; a place that I have been to a number of times and never tire of.  We also visited an English pub where I was fortunate enough to get a selfie with Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth.  I had a couple of pints of cider and a serving of bangers and mash. Yum!

I hope to be better about blogging and actually am getting the craft room cleaned up, so I can get to work on some new projects.  I can't focus if the craft room is disorganized, so organizing and purging is my top priority right now.

Off to watch some Reds baseball...