Shadow Shot Sunday : Crow Feather (quill)

Just a little teaser photo of an art piece I'll show you in the next day or two.  Not a new piece, but new to you!  I wanted to post it today, but not enough time, we're out the door.  Since I love the shadow from the feather, this is my photo for this weeks Shadow Shot Sunday.  Click here to check out more shadows over at Hey Harriet's blog.  See you soon with some art!

Shadow Shot Sunday : Hydrangea and Rest

Just a quick post to join in with Shadow Shot Sunday, and to let you guys know that I'm a bit sick right now (all three of us are, just a cold...but a nasty one) and need rest, so it might be quiet around here this week.  We'll see though...I might try to sneak in a little art when I feel a bit better, although I did try to work on some the other night and it just wasn't a good idea...made a big mess and it made me feel worse... oops.  Okay, gotta go.  Take care of yourselves, and hopefully see you soon.


Click here for Shadow Shot Sunday.

Implied Texture Painting

I'm loving this painting!  This was painted using techniques that I learned in the online Texture Town class that I'm taking.  I love this class and am learning so much already, and it's just starting!  This was for an assignment about implied texture.  Do you see how much depth this painting has?  But to the touch it is completely flat!  All the depth and texture is done with paints and glaze.  And the best thing is that it didn't even take that long!

This photo below shows the initial glazing...

Next, it was stamped and stenciled...

Then it was stenciled more and shaded.  At first glance these two appear similar, but look closely.  See how much more depth there is around the scroll stamps in the bottom photo?  I love it!  And I added a polka dot pattern here and there.

At this point I wanted to call the painting done, I loved it like this, but I also wanted to do the full lesson, so I added my the details.  I'm really glad I did because I LOVE the finished painting.  I want to do many more like this, it was so much fun!  And I can't wait to get into the actual applied texture lessons, with the touchable, raised textures....oh yeah!

If anyone's still thinking about this class I highly recommend it, it's wonderful.  And you should see some of the other students samples, wow!  I love seeing how even with the same techniques, everyone's paintings look so different with their different styles and designs, etc...so cool.  Once again, I'm not getting anything for going on and on about the class...I'm just excited about it and want to share it with you!  I'm off to paint more...

Work in Progress and SSS : Pasadena Palm

This painting was started a few months back, but I've been stuck on it, and can't figure out how to finish it.  I loved the colors before, but worked on it last week and thought I really screwed it up.  After walking away for a bit, I see that it's not bad, and I really like how the colors look in the cheesecloth.  I also remembered that sometimes art has to go through an ugly period before it all comes together. 

 I know that I need to work on the colors a bit, especially blending in around the branch and make it pop out more, and do a bit more glazing, but then what?   I think there's too much going on with the textures, leaves, and cheesecloth.  I do like where it's headed, but can't figure out what would pull it all together, and what to do on the left side...how to balance it all. 

Do I need a main focal point, and what/where should it be?   The branch?  In the beginning of this piece I was so excited because it seemed to be coming together quickly and easily.  I even had a great AHA moment with it involving cool embellishments to use...but...well... I'm stuck.

I know I'm almost there..the answer is just right there...and that's what's making it so frustrating.  I want to finish it, but I'm afraid I'll just mess it up more...but maybe that's part of my solution...I don't like it as much anymore, so how could I mess it up?  I guess I just need to go for it and not be afraid to just cover it all up if I need to...or not.  I have a few ideas, but the left side is just bugging me.  I'm taking this amazing online art class I told you about earlier..."Texture Town",  so I'm hoping I'll find my solution during one of the lessons.  I'll let you know what happens....

Anyway, moving on...

I love noticing and taking photos of shadows, it really is fun for me.  These were taken in Pasadena a few weeks back.  I took tons of photos that day, so you'll be seeing more of these over the next several weeks!

 I really loved the perfect shadow of this palm tree against this building. 

To join in with Shadow Shot Sunday, or to see more click here.

I'm a Winner!!

So I went out to my mailbox yesterday and this is what I got...a cute little box filled with happy goodness!  The hilarious and talented Rachel over at Two Dog Pond has to coolest thing going on over there.  Every Monday she posts a great photograph that will go on the front of a necklace. All week anyone can leave comments on that post, with possible captions to go on the back of the necklace.

On Friday she announces the caption she chose and the winner gets a FREE necklace with that photo on the front and their caption on the back.  Isn't that the best?  So last week I played for the first time.... after seeing this photo (above) I couldn't concentrate on anything else.  I kept on thinking about these girls and why they were up there, or wondering what they might say. Or if it was a picture in the newspaper, what would the caption be, and the story to go with it.  I just kept on wracking my brain, trying to come up with fun answers!  I didn't get anything else done on Monday, but I had a blast!

And I won!!  WooooHooo!!  I feel so special!  : )  She picked my quote, "The HOW is not important...it's the WHY you should be concerned with..." Yup.  And I've got this cool necklace to show for it!

Even if you don't  play along, it's so much fun to drop by and read everyone else's comments...there are some funny people out there!  To check out Two Dog Pond, click on the name.  And check out her other jewelry, she has some cool stuff...there's a bracelet that I'm drooling over right now...

I just wanted to share some of my other entries that I wrote for this photo...

• They were hung out to dry.

• A game of leap frog goes horribly wrong...

• "OK, on the count of 3 you jump, then tell me if it's a good idea or not"

• And that's why you never jump from a moving train!

• Soon after this incident, trampolines were banned from these parts.

• "Well MY spit pile looks like the Mona Lisa"

• "Oh no, he's coming! Quick, play dead!"

• Their little "dirt piranha" prank comes back to bite 'em        

• "His ego looks much smaller from here"

Yup, I went a little crazy with my comments!  And as you can see, I have a strange sense of humor, probably fueled by my past love for "Deep Thoughts" by Jack Handy, " The Far Side " comics by Gary Larson, my friend Elizabeth, and maybe even the comedian Steven Wright.  I wanted to think of absurd things..some that not everyone might get.  Someone asked what "dirt piranha" were ...umm... made them up...cause it's funny...well...at least to me.....  ; )

I heArt Mail!

I'm such a lucky duck!  I got mail!  Not bills...wonderful, lovely mail!  I just received this package a few days ago, from the lovely and talented Joyelle.  She has a wonderful new art blog called An Artful Endeavor and I was the first to sign up to follow her, so she sent me a thank you present!  How cool is that?

She sent gorgeous handmade cards with her beautiful photographs on them!  Woo Hoo!  I don't know if I'll be able to send them off to anyone, I might have to hold on to one or two of them for inspiration.  Joyelle is one multi-talented lady, go check out her blog to find out for yourself.

And, how cool is this...I got mail from The Netherlands!!  (below).  I saw on Brigitte's wonderful
blog called Scrappassie Blog that she was offering to trade some of her ATC's (Artist Trading Card) to anyone interested, so of course I jumped at the chance.

I received this a few weeks back, but I'm way behind on my blog posts so I'm barely posting it right now...oops!  Here is the fun ATC that I picked out!  I love the colors and it has such a great kind of sandpapery texture on it.  And "Dream Big" is written on it...wonderful.  Oh and she made this cute little green butterfly envelope to keep it in, which I love and which inspired me to make a little envelope to put the ATC I sent her into.

Poor Brigitte had to wait a few extra weeks for me to get my act together and mail off her ATC.   I wanted to make up for her wait so I added onto the package a bit.  Here's the front of the envelope...

And this fish is on the back.  Above the fish it says "mail + art = love.  I normally don't go this crazy on envelopes, but I had some extra time and couldn't get to the post office so i had a little fun!

This (above) is the ATC that I sent her and below shows the small ATC envelope I made to keep it in, and a card I made her which I showed two posts ago here.  I sent a few more goodies for her to use on her ATCs or art, but I didn't get a pict of it all.  You can see it on her blog and while you're there you need to look at her amazing zentangles.  I am in awe of them!

And today while writing this post another package came for me!!  WoooHoo!!  Good things come in small packages!!  I'm so excited about this, but this post is already long enough, so I'll post about it later.  

Shadow Shot Sunday : Carved Capital

Hey there.  Here's my shadow shots for this weeks shadow shot sunday.  I just loved the details on this building in Pasadena, Ca.  They have so many amazing old buildings around there.   The carved details and shadows on this wonderful capital stood out to me, so of course, I had to take some photos.

To join in with your own shadowy photos, or to just see more click here to go over to Hey Harriet's for Shadow Shot Sunday.  Enjoy!

A Card with Class!

Hi!  I just wanted to share with you a card that I made the other day.  I just glued scraps of paper down then painted over them and doodled with a pen.  I also stamped the flower on a separate piece of paper,  doodled over the stamping, then added it to the collage.  Then I just spattered and swiped some matching paint on the envelope and Viola!  Done!

Also, I singed up for my 1st online art class and I'm so stinkin' excited about it!  It's being held by Julie Prichard of "The Land of Lost Luggage" and Chris Cozen who is a working artist for Golden (how cool is that?)  It's a mixed-media painting class is called "Texture Town" and it starts on the OCT. 12.  Seriously, a class all about textures?  How perfect is that for me?  I can't wait!!  The class is normally   $59, but they are giving an early bird rate until the Oct 11th of $49.  I'm not getting anything for sharing this with you, I just wanted to help spread the word because I know there's at least a few of you who might be interested and it might be fun to have some of my friends in it with me!! To learn more click here.   If you sign up, let me know and maybe I'll save you a seat next to me ; )

Thanks, and Please Help

Hi.  OK, first off, I would like to thank everyone for your amazing, heartfelt comments on my last post.  I am truly humbled by your responses to both the "Don't Lose Heart" post and the art piece.  I poured out my heart, and you poured yours right back.  wow.  There were many times when I would go to read another comment and I would get all teary eyed, and be so grateful and humbled, because I was just a vessel with a message to pass on.  I knew it was meant to be shared, so I'm very glad it reached so many people.  What a beautiful experience to be a part of something that was so needed.

Speaking of need, our Australian friend Mandy over at the blog Eight is Enough needs our help.   Her son is 9 years old and has acute life-threatening spasmodic croup.  It flares up on a regular basis, and his throat can start closing up quickly.  It's rare and they're trying to find out any information that they can to help ease their lives and make their boy better.  If you know anything about it, or know someone who has it, or just want to let her know you're praying for her,  PLEASE contact Mandy at her blog or email.  Her email is mamdaray@bigpond.com.  And please click here to go to her blog to find out more.  Or you can  email me and i'll pass it on   Emakesart@gmail.com   Oh, and you can also help by posting about and linking up to her post to help spread the word as far as we can, praying it'll land in the right hands.

Oh, and if you're wondering about the picture, my husband left it for me on the kitchen counter yesterday morning.  A delicious toast heart (covered with yummy goat cheese and apricot jam) which helped to brighten my morning and reminded me 1) how wonderful the "small" things can be, and 2) that I am loved.