Perspective Series: Looking Up

I've been on a photography roll lately.  I wanted to do a series of posts on perspectives.  My favorite challenge of photography is finding that perspective that tells the story you may not see right away.  The first one is looking up...

All these photos were taken in Athens last year.  I did not post many photos from our trip & really should have.  I have some beautiful shots - not to mention silly ones of the boys.  They were bored to death of all the "old stuff".  (Note: the photos without captions are because I can't find my notes on the names of the actual places.  Sad!)

Acropolis

 My favorite shot of the Acropolis 

Acropolis

Acropolis - notice the scaffolding on the side - there was some major work going on while we were there

Acropolis

I have a fascination with looking up & shooting a picture.  What do you see when you look up?

I'll have more pictures "looking up" in Kuwait.

but I'm not a painter

Believe 4x6 flat canvas panel - acrylic & ink

Sometimes I just gotta laugh.  I get all up in arms about others setting my boundaries, preconceived notions, prejudgement... yet I do it to myself all the time.  

Me to my card making group "but I don't really make cards".  

Vogue 4x6 card various decorative papers, German foil, stickers & vintage Vogue cover.  The fleur de lis & crown transfer are also digital clip art I printed but the seller is  no longer on-line.

Me to, not 1 but 2, beading groups "I'm not really a bead weaver or seed beader".  

All classes taken from LB o'Jazz.   Peyote
Ring Squared,  Luscious Lariat, Arabesque Earrings

 

Me to myself for most of my life "but I'm not really an artist".  So down comes, "but I'm not really a painter".

dream WIP 8x10 flat canvas panel - acrylic & ink

Thanks to wonderful classes I have been able to take on-line by Christy Tomlinson & Traci Bautista.  I have learned how to become comfortable working on canvas.  At this point, it's more than comfort, it's forever love.  I'm at the point that I will probably never stop working on canvas.  More & more I've become more comfortable using less paper.  Don't get me wrong, I still have a strong love for paper, but I've been going a bit out of my comfort zone.  I've found a style with ink & acrylics using quotes & words. 

the week in pictures

had to go see the Chihuly myself - still up & mostly intact, thank goodness!

art time with my dudes - it was a fun afternoon!

Some recycled silk sari strips hanging in my studio

fly WIP 4x4 canvas panel - mixed media, acrylics, inks, vintage & new papers, rub ons

Another "I am completely spoiled in this country" moment.  Asked if my frozen yogurt was to go.  Packed in a bag with a block of ice.  I may never get this kind of service again!

New art supplies - perfect pearls sprays - iridescent & right up my alley!

Starting up the bead crochet necklaces again.  Love this color combo - she may be a keeper!  how embarrassing that I have to reteach myself how to crochet.  Perhaps I've stayed away too long.

Technically these are photos from last week!  I am completely falling in love with my iPhone.  I have it with me all the time & I can always take pictures at a moments notice.  I also love instagram - cute square photos, funky filters & "polaroid" frame - I look like a genius!

Keeping Myself Occupied

My hubby was traveling & I was lonely so I did some retail therapy.  I bought myself into a new class Inscribed by the uber talented Traci Bautista.  Her book Collage Unleashed was one of the first mixed media books I purchased for my library.  By the way, there is a new one coming out the first of the year, Doodles Unleashed, & I can't own this one soon enough.

My inspiration board with color palette & damask pattern on Colourlovers My actual piece bottom left: 4x6 flat canvas panel WIP.  Bottom right: another WIP 8x10 flat canvas panel

The class is a art journaling workshop & I'm not much of a journaler.  I keep notebooks & journals, but they are not pretty, artsy, fancy ones.  I'm pretty much a list maker & that's what you'll see in the notebooks.  I sketch a bit, but not very often, & when I do, it's normal pencil or black ink quick sketches.  I was so drawn to this class by the preview video.  I wanted to learn her techniques & transfer them to my canvas craze.  It should be interesting to see where this takes me between Christy's Classes & Traci's.

Beginnings of the background

Ink doodles detail

Current WIP picture of piece

So Many Canvases, So Few Complete...

Sometimes I have a million ideas in my head & I start getting them all out.  Or I have a background or color idea then the inspiration stops there.  All I know is, I gotta whole lotta canvases going on at the same time.  Actually, I'm perfectly happy with that!

WIP You Inspire Me to Soar 4x6 canvas flat panel: Just started this as a gift for a sweet someone.  I'll be adding a quote.

WIP Untitled 8x10 canvas flat panel: Part of my Americana phase.  I also have a 4x12 with the same pattern in the works.

So I have lots of canvases I've started.  Sometimes the backgrounds will sit there for weeks.  Either I get majorly inspired & complete the canvas.  Or I get an idea, work on it for a bit then come back another day & another day & another day... one day it's complete

WIP Fashion Plate 4x6 flat canvas panel: LOVE the colors on this one.  The picture doesn't do it justice.  There are 3 shades of aqua - light to dark, a white damask stamp on the right edge & a lime green dress form stamp.  Not sure where I'm going next but it's one of my faves.

Inspiration for the piece below

WIP Untitled 4x6 flat canvas panel: I started with lilac & light blue acrylic paint.  The rest of the design will be hand drawn doodles & lettering.  Not sure how I'll add color - maybe acrylics & my pitt pens - may add some patterned paper.

 

 

I do have a few new pieces done, just need to photograph them, maybe I'll get them posted this week.  Just finished another class with Christy Tomlinson Creative Color Workshop.  It's a quick 1 week workshop on color but it's jam packed with lots of good info about searching for color inspiration & transposing that onto an art piece.  I'm also in the middle of the Three Hearts class.  I'm still watching the techniques portion of the class & have not even gotten into the journaling yet.  Christy shares so much in these videos that it makes it easy to go off & experiment.  As you can see from above, I'm not holding back after that She Art class!  Wow, the places my art has gone this year all because of Christy!

All About the Red, White & Blue

I took this anklet class from my friends at LB J'Zazz

Land of the Free - 4x6 flat panel mixed media canvas

Hero WIP

Hero Detail - 8x10 flat panel canvas

These last few months I've been inspired & drawn in different directions than my usual path.  As an artist, that's okay with me!  I'm known for my glitter & pink but have been finding tangents; different color combinations & themes for me.  It's been red, white & blue & Americana lately.  I don't know if it was because I was feeling a bit homesick or part of the trip home to the US, but I am enjoying it!  I have more to show including the finished "Hero girl".  She was inspired by something my sweet sis told me - boy am I lucky!

I Did That?

Class: Fab Cab Ring class & kit @ LB O J'zazz  Blog Board: Sassy Designs

While taking this class, I realized how crazy it is that I had to move to Kuwait to find an appreciation & passion for seedbeads.  I've taken quite a few classes at LB O J'zazz learning new stitches & this was the first bead embroidery class for me.  My excuse was, "I don't have the patience to do that!"  Well, look what I did!  I have a few more pictures to take.  I've finished the side "sandwiching" the stiff stuff to the ultrasuede & it's so beautiful.  The band is the only thing left to complete.  I am so excited to wear this beauty!  My selection was the Golden Roses kit but I may have to go back & get the Turquoise one as well!

Thank you to Lubna & Bettina for sharing your talent, love & skill with us!

Note: Excuse the poor pictures.  I've "forgotten" how to use my simple point & shoot.  I'm lost without a viewfinder & my macro lens.

Things I've Learned from Christy Tomlinson



WIP: 8x10 flat canvas panel Acrylic & Modeling Paste

1. Yellow is awesome!  And yellow & grey is just beautiful. 
2. I've been introduced to modeling paste & wondered why I haven't used it before.
3. It's okay if rub-ons & rubber stamps don't make a complete & perfect impression.  Really, it is!
4. I'm using stuff I've had in my stash for the first time.  Seriously, some of my cling stamps, embellishments & canvases were in the original packaging - for a year or two...
5. I must order more canvases stat!  With the canvas shortage I'm looking for new surfaces to attack beautify.  I have some birdhouses I bought last summer & they have not been touched.
6. I've found a use for dried up baby wipes!  They make awesome "paper towels" for cleaning brushes, stamps, fingers - all sorts of messes.
7. It has been liberating to be able to let go of the "perfectness" I feel should be in my art.  If I mess up, I work with it.  There's always gesso available as well :)

If you are looking for something to do, go join Christy's class.  You won't be disappointed!  As a matter of fact, I can't stop!

Home is Where the Heart Is

Being a military family, you move around a lot.  My husband & I joke about what we will do when we have to live in an area for more than 3 years - that has been our longest time frame in one area.  Our shortest was 8 months.  Prior to living in Kuwait we moved every year for 5 years, sometimes twice within a year.  The crazy life we lead, but it's ours!

Crystal's creation is on the left, my original is on the right.

Shortly after we got to Kuwait & settled into our life here, I decided to make a canvas, Home is Where the Heart Is.  I have all these little hearts of the places we've lived.  My sweet & creative friend Crystal made a comment way back when that she'd like one of those canvases for her.  Almost a year later we finally got together & made one.

Crystal & her new canvas

We spent the day chatting, laughing & creating.  I had to laugh at her FB post that she didn't know if she would be creative enough.  The joy of crafting with others is learning from them - you get a whole other perspective.  She even taught me a few things :)

Crystal's Home is Where the Heart Is - 10x10 gallery canvas - acrylics, inks, paper

Crystal is one of my friends leaving this year - she'll have a new heart to add.  While moving to different locations is a constant in this life we live, you never quite get used to it. 

If You Take One Class This Year...

I just absolutely love Christy Tomlinson & the She Art class.  I am just in love with the entire experience I have had.  Christy is a completely giving teacher, the class itself is well organized & jam packed, & my fellow classmates have been the bomb!

Debutante ~ WIP ~ 8x10 flat canvas panel ~ mixed media
Acrylic paints, Vintage book paper

Debutante  ~ 8x10 flat canvas panel ~ mixed media
Acrylic paints, Vintage book paper, decorative papers, German scrap, markers, ink


Christy is the ultimate teacher.  I have so much respect for her.  She teaches you her techniques then encourages you to find your own style & go with it.  Christy completely shares all her ideas & best practices.  She even shares her emotions & you see the passion she has for her art.  The cool thing about this class is you can be at any level of mixed media - beginner to advanced.  I am somewhere in between & this class has brought my canvases to the next level.  I haven't been afraid to experiment & I've been using all these art supplies I've bought (Codeword: hoarded) & never cracked open. 

Beloved ~WIP detail ~ 4x4 artist canvas ~ mixed media



Beloved  ~ 4x4 mixed media canvas
Acrylics, decorative paper,clip art, rub-ons, ink, rhinestones

Go check out the flickr group, the She Art Workshop, & take a look at what everyone has been creating.  It is amazing to see how everyone takes what she has taught & puts their own creative spin.  It's incredible to see the work of people that are newbies.  So if you're on the fence, get off it!!  If you take a look at her blog, she has a tutorial tab with some freebie instruction.  As a matter of fact, I was so excited waiting for the class I started my first canvas before the class even started.  I watched all her tutorials & picked up some ideas.  (My first canvas is at the top of the post titled Debutante)

Ex-Pat in Kuwait ~ WIP ~ 8x10 flat canvas panel ~ mixed media
Acrylic paints, Vintage book paper, Silk, ink

Christy also has an awesome store.  She offered the students a coupon to use & all the basics for the class can be found at one place.  May I make a confession?  I've already ordered 3 times from her (did I just write that for all the world to see, including my husband).  Honestly, if you are a craft hoarder like me you probably have most of the basic supplies.  Living in Kuwait, I found out who would ship to an APO (thank you joann.com) & have stockpiled on necessities.  I won't tell you what a stockpile of necessities I have on canvases alone.  Let's just say I've been stockpiling for almost a year & a half now!

Fashion ~ WIP ~ 8x10 flat canvasAcrylic paints, Decorative papers, markers, ink, embossing powder

Personally, I'm excited about what I've learned.  I want to make a canvas for myself with all of my titles (wife, mom, teacher, doctor, taxi driver...)  I'm excited to make some canvases with quotes & explore other imagery besides the art girls, which I've already started to do.  I'm hoping to turn some of these into teacher gifts - I think they are perfect!  I want to make mini canvases to put on cards.  I want to make canvases for my boys room.  Oh the list is endless. 

Fly ~ detail ~ 4x4 Studio Canvas ~ mixed media
Acrylic paints, Decorative papers, Marker, Ink, Rub-ons

So on the personal front, I didn't mean to be gone for so long.  I don't plan blog breaks & this one just happened.  I am actually still working through a tough creative time for me.  I was on such a roll then I just had to stop.  This class has helped me keep my creative juices flowing.  I don't know what happened, but I hit a wall on all fronts.  It's been frustrating but I'm working through it.  I know I still owe a few posts:  I need to still name the winner of OWOH & I was part of an incredible Valentines Day swap that I still want to get on here.  I promise to not be a stranger & to get those posts done this week.

My Work Table this Week

Here's a little sneak peek.  I made a new necklace with these components.  If you want to see it you'll have to tune in tomorrow.

Speaking of work tables, I finally have one again!  Here are a few shots of the new & highly improved RECLAIMED studio.  I love this space!  For awhile I was avoiding this spot like the plague.  I had no work area, which was relegated to the floor & in turn turned into a minefield.  I'll unveil the new digs as well as New Jewelry for the store next week Wednesday February 9th.

Affirmations

I am working on lesson 3 of the Blast Off class.  The last 2 lessons dealt with Vision & Affirmations.  Here are mine.

French Labels & Stars - Thank you House of 3

I created the cards digitally in PSE.  I plan on cutting these out & adding them to my Vision Board.  I made one of these a few years ago & it's about time to make a new one. 
I love where I am going with this class!

My New Toy

For Christmas I received a new macro lens for my camera.  I needed it to take close ups of my jewelry.
(BTW, if you are looking for camera or lens info make sure you check out the link for Ken Rockwell.  He and my friend LizNoel have been a source in info for me. 

I am having so much fun playing with it.  I'm finding a few things as I'm playing with it:

• The color is soooo sharp.  

Another shot of my fave at the 360 Mall

• I don't know what to do with myself because I use the auto-focus feature & I don't have to turn the ring on the lens.  

• It is really close up.  I have to scoot way back sometimes if I'm trying to take pictures of things other than my jewelry. 

The Spice Club at 360 Mall

Here are a few jewelry shots
A note on my jewelry store.  Updates are coming February 1st.   I'll keep adding sneak peaks on my blog.  All new pieces & some that have come back from after being published.

Opal Pendant, Czech firepolish beads, Freshwater button pearls

Brass earwires & components, Czech glass seedbeads

Brass setting, wire, clasp & findings, Vintage pearl cabochon, Vintage crown cabochon, Re-purposed rhinestone earring