Art Studio Tour Video

Stop by my YouTube Channel and take a peek at my video, Art Studio Tour, for a quick peek around my studio.  I'm just gonna warn you, I'm from Alabama, and despite my best efforts I do sound quite "country" or Southern!  

Art Journal Pages - The Least of These

A few weeks ago I worked on a large painting for my dining room, and I mixed up a really cool color of blue; a really dark, deep, midnight blue that almost looks black.  I wanted to use it in my journal, so I made up a bit more of it today.  I covered a whole page with the color, then brushed a bit on the other page with a wide brush.  I added a bit of leaf green and sherbet green to it with a smaller brush.

Looking pretty good already, but this color begs for a bit of pink next to it, so I put some down with that same brush.  

I always end up with extra paint, so I have been using it up on loose pages.  These three are just about ready to use for a collage I think.

I thought some pink lettering would look nice, so I bought an acrylic paint pen.  This is one of my favorite scriptures, a reminder that while our love for Christ is important, we must never forget to love and serve others.  

Article Published in Cloth Paper Scissors - Faux Lampwork Headpins

Lucky me (or blessed I should say), I finally got an article published in Cloth Paper Scissors!!!  One item on my bucket list I can check off.  I have dreamed about this for years now.  My article "Faux Lampwork Headpins" was published in the May/June 2013 issue on pages 50-54.  A four page spread, I am just so excited.  Here are a few pictures I took of these headpins before I sent them in a few months back.  I just got them back in the mail a few days ago along with my complimentary copies of the issue.

A necklace I made with the headpins. 

The headpins in a funky (and dirty) little vintage glass jar. 

I have five sets of them listed in my Etsy shop; if you are interested stop by and check them out.

Tonight, Tonight

I promise I am still here, and I am still crafting.  Still taking pictures and making jewelry.  Just not making much time for blogging.  I know, no fun, right?  I just can't seem to find the focus to write.  

Here is a piece I have been working on for our bedroom.  I love The Smashing Pumpkins, and "Tonight, Tonight" is one of my favorite songs they have done.  I thought it would work well above our bed.  

I started with the picture above, which is a piece of old decor from a Subway store.  My mom had it in her yard and I asked for it.  It is huge and I thought it would be fun to paint over.  I took the frame off and put a coat of gesso over the picture  (which is two sheets of plastic with foam in the middle) and added texture with Liquitex Basics modeling paste.   Since I am not selling the piece I just used Apple Barrel and Fold Art fabric paints.  I printed the words out and projected them up with my Art Tracer Jr Projector and penciled them in.  

Here's the finished painting.  I am quite happy with it, and can't wait to get it up on the wall.  First I need to paint some shutters that I will used as a headboard.  

Hubby picked the font out.  I really like it!

New Displays WIP

I'm working on some new displays for my jewelry.  I have these great large industrial bobbins and thought of a way to put these together to display my jewelry on.

My awesome bobbins!  A score at $1.99 each.

8mm reels.  Had to get rid of the severely corroded film.  Not a very good smell!

A few supplies for the makeover.

The general idea.

Now I just have to get these guys painted, drill a couple more holes, and assemble.  I'll post them when they are complete.

Paintings - Experimenting

I am learning how to take some time and play with my paint.  I usually have a definite plan when I paint, but love abstract and non-representational art.  So I am trying to give myself room to play and make mistakes and paint over them and come up with something awesome and paint over it and regret that and then paint something I love even more over that.  I am very inspired by Jesse Reno, Flora Bowley, Teesha Moore, Traci Bautista, Michelle Allen, and Julie Balzer.  I am trying to incorporate some spontaneity, vibrant color, layers, and life into my art.  Here's how that is working out for me so far.

This first painting has already morphed into something else, but it was what I ended up using as inspiration for my desk.  And my desk will surely change too.  I am just using craft paint right now.  I hope to invest in some better paint soon.   

Here it is again with another painting on my desk, the first one I played around with.  It has already been painted over.  Now, painting over another painting is nothing new to me.  I do it all the time when I get bored with my paintings and want new art on the walls.  I made quite a few more marks on this one and hope my desk turns out a bit more like it.

I added a funky zebra print trim to the side of the canvas since I will not be framing it.  

Detail...

And here it is on my wall.  

I will share some picture of my desk in the next few days, but for now I have to finish up a project.  I am writing my first article for Cloth Paper Scissors PAGES 2012!!!  Not my first how-to article, but the first time I will actually get paid for writing.  And my long time dream of being published in a CPS magazine fulfilled.  Have to get everything ready for shipping on Monday so I can make it on time. 

Eye Mandala Finished!!!!!

Finally got it done, now it's time to work on packaging.  Here's the completed illustration.

And here's a half crop that I will use for packaging.

So, what do you think?  I am so glad to have it finished!!!!

If you want a copy, I am selling digital JPEG downloads in my Etsy shop for $5.



Eye Mandala Inking

So I have been working a lot on my eye mandala drawing, and I thought I would share the progress.  I love working on these mandalas because they take time to finish, so the final reveal is something special to me.  I am about a week away from that mainly because I have to work on it after my two-year-old Lula goes to bed - she wants me to hold her every time I pick this drawing up. 

Here are a couple pictures of the outline work completed.

Outlining is probably the most tedious part.  Once done I get to go on auto pilot and color everything in.  This inking process is very relaxing and satisfying to me.  I just love working on a drawing at this stage.  I have a bit of the inking done, as you can see in the following picture.

I am very happy with the way it is looking so far.  What do you think?

Be sure to stop by this evening...I will be posting a giveaway for a $25 shopping spree in my I Spy Jewelry Shop at 6 PM.

Eye Mandala - Work in Progress

I am working on a new illustration for my I Spy Jewelry shop.  It will be printed on my packaging some time in the near future.  I am in desperate need of new packaging, and I thought I would make something special that I can use for a while. 

Here is a detail shot of the pencil work.

And a picture of the drawing in progress on my Light Tracer II.

A picture of the pencil work done.

And one of my rough draft (in two pieces) on top of the finished pencil drawing.

It takes me a few hours to get my mandalas to this point.  And I still have hours of inking left to do.  Can't wait to get my Rapidograph pens out and get started.  

Shop Revamp and Update - New Jewelry Listed

I have made a decision to turn my Etsy shop into a jewelry shop and list my art items on my blog.  I revamped my shop and have several items listed as of right now, and am currently working on more to list.  Here is a sample of what I am offering in my I Spy Jewelry shop.

I plan on adding a page to my blog next week to sell my art books and other crafty items, so keep and eye out for that. 

Until then, check out my shop and let me know what you think.  

Cloth Paper Scissors Pages - My Art Published!!!!!!

So excited to share with you guys that my art has been published in the premiere issue of Cloth Paper Scissors Pages!  I just received my complimentary copy of the magazine today!

I have been reading Cloth Paper Scissors since the first issue in 2004.  I love the magazine and it has been a dream of mine to have my art featured in it.  These books were originally sent in for the Mini Book challenge that was published in the Jan/Feb 2011 issue.  I was sorta bummed to find I was not published with the challenge until I found out that my books might be published in Pages.



The magazine is awesome!  It is so bright and colorful and features tons of books and art!  My favorite article so far is "Vintage Inspiration" by Renee Rogers.  I can't wait to get some of my vintage papers and books out and give it a try.  If you need inspiration, Pages is packed with 144 exciting pages of it.  You can order it from the Interweave store here, or check out your local bookstore to see if they carry it.  I know the Books-A-Million in our county does.  

Files and Journal Organized

With all the organizing going on around here I thought I would organize my office papers.  I had all kinds of papers just piled up and crammed in the shelf that now houses my important studio tools and supplies.  So they had to go somewhere.  I now have a filing system going for all my papers, like hubby's JoonBuggy shop, my future I Spy shop, my poems and songs, my novel notes (yes, one day I plan to write a novel - with my sister), short story notes, sketches, photography, and so on.  Here's a peek into my file folder.

Wow, it's so organized I almost don't believe it's mine.  I also had lots of scraps of short poems, little doodles, and word and craft ideas and inspirations that needed to go into my journal.  I cut them all out and taped them down or just wrote them into my journal.  I got several pages done, but here are four of my favorites.