Time Not Wasted!

Isn't that the truth!!  I wanted to use my new clock stencil, so I "googled" some quotes on Time.  I liked this one.  No matter what you are doing, as long as it's not hurting anyone and it's fun, how could it be a waste of time.  We all need to remember to live in the moment.

Peace!

Cyndi

Little Wooden Houses

A few weeks ago, I started making little wooden houses.  I made one and I just couldn't stop.

I used my own handpainted papers, some scrapbooking paper, acrylic paint, pens and little doo dads. I sealed them with polycrylic.   I bought a long board at Lowes.  They actually cut the board into 10 inch sections for me (no charge!).  Then, my husband cut the angles to make them "house-like". Since I had one taller piece, I made an apartment building.

A friend asked me if they could be put outside in a flower bed.  I suppose they could, but I'd probably suggest a couple more coats of sealer.

Right now, I have them lined up on my fireplace mantel, but I plan to list them for sale on Etsy.

Peace!

Cyndi

Thank you Shawn Petite

As I've mentioned many, many times here.....I love watching other artists make their art.

In a couple weeks, my husband and I are travelling to Colorado to visit his mother and brother.  My mother-in-law has suffered with Alsheimers for several years.  I was thinking about making a small piece of art that we could hang in her room.  Because we like to pack light I needed something that I could slip into a small suitcase. Then....Voila....I watched a video by Shawn Petite on the very morning that I was trying to come up with something to make, and it was perfect.

These three little hanging pieces are made using cardboard as the substrate.  Shawn attached a piece of ribbon as a hanger on hers.  I didn't have any ribbon that I liked, but I did have some copper wire and it worked fine.  I used different stencils and I didn't have any alphabet stamps that were large enough. I printed out the words in the size that I needed on the printer, then transferred them to the substrate with carbon paper, then painted them with a paint pen (and outlined with charcoal pencil).

I might make some more of these, except smaller, as they would make great little tags for gifts, etc. They were super easy and super fast to make.  So, if you need a quick handmade gift for someone....give it a try.

Again, thank you Shawn!

Peace!

Cyndi

Two Mixed Media Paintings

Peace!

Cyndi

Collage with Painted Papers

Just playing around yesterday with Dina Wakely paints.  The colors are so vibrant and pretty.  I used some of my painted papers for the flowers.

I started the pieces by covering them with book pages, sheet music, and these, adorable Tim Holtz cards that I found in my stash.

I also used some plastering tape (I don't think that's what it's called, but I can't think of the name of it right now)

Have a wonderful day!

Peace!

Cyndi

Embossing Powder Screw-ups

It's Teusday, so I had to watch the Donna Downey Artist Gang video while having my first cup of coffee.  Today's artist was Catherine Cote (who also goes by CeeCee, so I automatically like her). She made some beautiful cards using embossing powder.

I went on a manic search for my embossing powders that I haven't touched in, probably, 3 years.  I couldn't find the black powder, which is what I wanted.  But.....I did find some stamps that I haven't seen in years and some little earrings that I never finished (picture below).

I figured that I would give it a try with some Marcasite embossing powder.  This was the closest thing that I had to black, but it has little specs of many different colors.  I used an embossing stamp pad (never opened) by Hampton Art Stamps. I don't know if the stamp pad had exceeded it's shelf life or if the powder was too old, but as you can see, it didn't work.  I was also so determined to make it work that I burned the page by overheating in areas with the heat gun.

Never one to give up, I tried it again on a piece of Strathmore Bristol Smooth paper.  Catherine used hot-pressed watercolor paper.  She said that it needed to be smooth.  My first attempt was on watercolor paper, but I only had cold-pressed so it had some texture.  I don't have any hot-pressed watercolor paper.  Sometimes you just have to make do with what you have.

Again, FAILURE.

So, then I went to the computer and googled "how to use embossing powder".  The woman in one of the videos just used a regular black inkpad instead of an "embossing inkpad".  Aha.  I'll try that,  and...........it worked beautifully.

This time using a different jar of powder (gold).  In this photo, you can see where half of the stamp is embossed.

Next step - the watercolor.  Watercolor scares me every time.

Catherine Cote used Twinkling H2O's.  I don't have them.  They look like a very bright, shiny, watercolor in little jars.  I tried my Sakura watercolors, but I was using a really cheap brush (yeah, let's blame it on that) and everything looked smeary and yuck.

I tried another one, using gouache, which is a type of watercolor.  I didn't add enough water, so it doesn't look very pretty.

On this fish, I used silver embossing powder, over regular black Ranger ink, using one of my favorite fish stamps that I found during my manic embossing powder search.  The powder melted beautifully.

I used a tiny bit off gouache with a lot of water and I think it's getting better.  However, it's definitely still not "card-worthy".

So....bottom line....use hot-pressed water color paper.....use black embossing powder.....use fresh embossing ink or black ink.....don't leave your heatgun too long over one spot.....practice your watercolor technique.....don't give up!

If you would like to see how Catherine Cote made these beautiful cards, click here.

Oh yes.....the forgotten earrings.

Now I just need to go on another manic search for some little, dangling crystals to attach to the bottoms.  One of these days I'm going to be organized.....right, who am I kidding?!?

Peace!

Cyndi

My First Youtube Video of My Artwork