Monoprint Paper Quilt

I got to finish a project this week since I have been sick. This little quilt is made using the squares I received in a Monoprint Paper Quilt Squares swap in Arttechniques. I am so glad I got it finished before the end of the year! So many of my projects have had to be kept secret for our book project that it feels good to be able to share something once again! My old sewing machine broke on the paper stitching so got to buy a new one. Woo hoo! What a dream!

"Latest Trends" Group Branches Out

The Latest Trends in Mixed Media group is branching out with a new group for those who are new to mixed media. It will teach basic techniques and hopefully answer any questions people may have. You can join this group by clicking on: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/The_Artists_Circle.
Lori Roberts will be the main group Mom and some of the rest of us from the Latest Trends group will help moderate.

Avila Beach Photos

We could see the golf course from our balcony also. This was the 11th hole. Players would tee off across the water to the left.

Mission San Luis Obispo with flowers and shadows.

Avila Barn- a wonderful place to buy local produce and lots of products from CA.

I liked the light coming through the Avila Pier's posts.

We saw several surfers; some waves were pretty high!

Avila Beach Vacation

Here are a few images from our vacation.
There was a group of birds sitting on this log who looked as if they were deliberately posing for photos.
The San Luis Bay Inn where we stayed.
Interesting textures in this seaweed shot.
A close-up of a pelican.
The beach and cliff was the view from our balcony. We enjoyed this vacation so much we are returning next September!

Correction!

The image of the cute little boy and pumpkin is from Inka's Stamps, not Twisted Papers. I stand corrected! Sorry Inka!

Here are the three abstract fabric postcards I am mailing to members of TheLatestTrendsinMixedMediaArt group. Fun and fast to make! I used peltex for the stiffener, batik and hand-dyed fabrics, a hand-carved stamp image and some pigma pen embellishments. I used a patterned muslin for the back so that I could write the mailing info right onto the fabric. One of these has to make it all the way to a little island in the UK. Hope it makes it!!

Technique Junkie Newsletter

My scrunchie technique is featured in the October issue of the Technique Junkie Newsletter. A member of the newsletter asked me if she could submit the technique and I agreed. it is always a thrill to see one's name in print! Thanks Pat for publishing my technique!

Harvest ATCs

Here are 4 ATCs made with a Twisted Papers image for the Latest Trends in Mixed Media Arts group. I used a variety of Golden fluid acrylics for the background, then used leaf stencils. I sponged some interference green (YS) and then spattered some dark paint left over from painting art tissue. I found some old autumn magazine pages that someone had scrapped years ago, and tore them for a base for the image. I used parts of 2 autumn poems; one by Emily Dickinson and one by Edna St.Vincent Millay. I distressed the cards and text with Antique Linen and Vintage Photo distress inks. Lastly I tied some raffia that I then fingerpainted with a bit of copper fluid acrylic.

A Winner!

The collage pictured below actually went and won 2nd place in our Harvest Fair. I was so pleased to hear it. It was my first entry into a juried art show, and my first collage using the hand painted papers. What an encouragement to continue creating and perhaps even submitting to another show sometime.

Framed and Ready

This is my piece framed and ready for the Harvest Fair. It was a strange feeling to take it and drop it off. Kind of like leaving one of your kids at school for the first time! The lady who checked it in was very nice and really liked it. That was encouraging for this first-time exhibitor! I will let you know how it does. It is priced at $600.00; over half of which is to cover the framing costs. Live and learn regarding how to price things.

Emboss Resist Technique ATCs

Here are the ATCs I made using the Bernie Berlin Emboss Resist technique for Arttechniquesatcs. The lovely lady images are from Twisted Papers. It was fun making the resist backgrounds.

AOM for September- Monet

Here is a sample ATC I painted for the Arttechniquesatcs group. We feature an artist each month and September's is Monet. I love his waterlily paintings, and was inspired by a portion of one of his. It was hard mimicking his style in a 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" format!

In Case You Are Wondering...

I can post that the reason a group of us started TheLatestTrendsinMixedMediaArt yahoo group is that we have been working and working on a book proposal of the same name that we will be submitting to publishers for a (hopefully) next year publish date. Book proposals are very involved; but it has been a fun and learning experience. I will keep you posted here and we also will keep you posted in the group. We are VERY excited about this endeavor and hope you are also! We love mixed media/altered art and want very much for this to happen!

"Aged Paper- Fall Colors- Brass Charm" ATC swap

These ATCs were made for a swap with Arttechniquesatcs. We were to use aged paper, fall colors and a brass charm on each card. I have been enjoying painting tissue papers and layering them for backgrounds. So, that is what the backgrounds are. The brown texture comes from added coffee grounds to the paint. The leaves are either a crayon batik or a faux rust technique.

This ATC is called "The Leaves Last Act". I wanted to use these drama mask charms.

Loads of Treasure!!!!

I wanted to share more about the TREASURE HUNT for the group TheLatestTrendsinMixedMedia Arts. Terrific sponsors are filling up our treasure chests with bounty! Hannah Grey, ArtChix Studio, Twisted Papers, Outside the Margins, Time to Stamp, Altered Pages, Vintage Charmings, Altered Arts, Julie Andrus- your favorite vendors! Be sure to click on the link to become a charter member of this fantasitc online art group!http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheLatestTrendsinMixedMediaArts.

Treasure Hunt Coming!

TheLatestTrendsinMixedMediaArts is planning a treasure hunt! The link to join this group is in my links list at the right side of my blog. Great prizes will be awarded! You don't want to miss out on this and other fun happenings.

Colors Over Wine Country

This is a handpainted paper collage I have been working on to submit to the Harvest Fair. The colors are a bit brighter in person. There are metallic paints, antique text, antique maps, glitter, gold mica flakes, coffee grounds incorporated into the painted papers. It is 15 x 20 unframed. The framing is next!

Emboss Resist and Emboss Resist Scrap Paper

Here is another 8 1/2 x 11 sample of the emboss resist method. The pink was the bottom color, the green the top. I thought the scrap paper came out interestingly also. Where the embossing powder transferred to the scrap paper is translucent. If i put colored paper under that piece the color shows through. Pretty cool for a scrap piece! Make sure you check yours out when you do this technique. I will cut up the green/pink cardstock for ATC-sized cards. Enjoy this swap!

Emboss Resist 2

You can see in this example that the embossing worked more clearly. That is because I totally covered the paper with the drybrush second color. I started with green and did the blue on top. I used a variety of stamps to see how they would work. Again, this was on an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of cardstock. Hope this encourages you to try this technique. Since acrylics dry so quickly, you can finish one piece pretty fast.

Emboss Resist

Although hard to see in this scan, the stamped images are showing through the two overlay colors of lavendar and gold. I used a triadic color combo of aqua, rust and lavendar. I added the metallic gold on top because I wanted to see what it would look like. In person, it looks pretty good. I added some black stamping to the page also (didn't scan that one). This was done on an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of cardstock. I will then cut it down for using as ATCS (Artists Trading Cards). These will then be embellished for a swap for the Arttechniquesatcs group. The Emboss-Resist technique is from Bernie Berlin's book.

A NEW Yahoo Group Begins September 15

I am very excited to be part of a NEW Yahoo Art Group which will begin taking new members SEPTEMBER 15. It is called TheLatestTrendsinMixedMediaArts. We will begin with a Treasure Hunt that will have great prizes from some of your favorite vendors! There will be instructions in all kinds of art projects, a great artists' gallery, and much more! Be sure to sign up from the beginning so you can get in on the first Treasure Hunt. As the date gets closer, I will share more. Some of the best artists I know are co-moderating this group with me. So be sure to sign up SEPTEMBER 15!

Projects, projects, projects!

It seems like this summer is getting away from me. I was able to visit two artist friends in Utah. One came all the way from Australia to visit! She also went to Art Unraveled, so made good use of her US visit. Keeping up with arttechniquesatcs swaps and others has kept me hopping. My mornings at the gym really eat into my art time, so starting next week I will do my training sessions one hour earlier with the hope of having more productive art time in the afternoons. I find the day doesn't have enough hours for all I want to accomplish. Still working on a very big project which I hope to share more about soon.
Please take the survey, the link is below, and enjoy the free images.

Art Survey

I am part of an ongoing project that is trying to determine how people choose the art books they purchase and I am asking them to participate in a short online survey. By clicking on this link: http://theartistscircleonline.com and answering 10 quick and easy questions, you will be directd to another site that will allow you to download 20 copyright-free images. (From our private collections) Please note: I am not affiliated with any publisher or commercial enterprise, nor will you be asked for any personal information. Thank you for your help!

ZNE Challenges for August

Here are the two embellished tags made for the ZNE Design Team August challenge. We were to create two tag templates and then show them embellished. The themes were butterflies and stars.

Architectural Elements ATC

I had a different design in mind when I started, but this is what came out! I used Dover architectural images and for the background (just changed the color), and added the stamped face and a few metal brads and some distress inks. This is for a swap for arttechniquesatcs.

Shaving Cream Marbling Technique

For some reason this is where the typing wants to start. These are samples from one tray of shaving cream and dye re-inkers. I used Nick Bantock colors. I was able to get 12 sheets done with one application of shaving cream. I just re-swirled the colors each time. I used Bristol Board paper. My hubby printed a sheet, and my son helped put in the color. I guess it was a macho enough project for them since it used shaving cream. These papers will be used to make ATCs for the Arttechniquatcs group.

Free to Fly

"Free to Fly" is my second piece for the ZNE Design Team July Challenge. For this piece I used a 5 x 7 canvas board. I began painting sky-like colors in acrylic paint. I then adhered a piece of vintage sewing pattern tissue. I sprayed some Color Mists and Moon Shadow Mists on top of that. I attached the woman and window images from the ZNE Collage sheet and coated the whole thing with Golden's Regular Gloss Medium. I added a brass butterfly for contrast between the woman behind the window and the freedom outside. This can be interpreted in different ways. I will let you interpret it as you will!

"Fair as a Star" ATC for ZNE Design Team July Challenge

This ATC was made for the ZNE Design Team July Challenge. I already had the background; a mix of Color Mist Sprays and some Glue with sparkly starsand moons in it. The images are from a ZNE collage sheet. The phrase is from a Wordsworth poem.

Last of Metal Tape Series

I did this one with an "echo" effect, thus calling it "Echoes of Time." This Twisted Papers collage sheet has great images!

Technique: put Metal tape onto a cardstock foundation. Lay image on card. Trace outline with a stylus. Remove image, and "echo" the traced line to the edges of the card. Apply liquid acrylic paint and rub off; apply and rub again until al the creases are filled with paint. Attach image to card.

Another Metal Tape ATC

Number 4 in the Metal Tape series. I am using images from Twisted Papers. The woman is from one of their downloadable collage sheets, the corners are from one of their CDs.

It Must Be Summer!

I haven't been posting too frequently. I am finding that going to the gym in the mornings cuts into my art time a bit. I am seeing some results, so plan on keeping it up. We had a HOT week weather-wise, but the lovely fog came in last night. Our natural air conditioning!
I am working on ATCs for the arttechniquesatc group, and finished my monoprints for the arttechniques main group. I am looking forward to seeing what the others have done!
Continuing working on projects for The Artists Circle; can't wait until I can tell you all about this group and project!
The July Challenge for the ZNE Design Team will also need to be done in the next week or so. Off to play!

Metal Tape Technique

Here are my first three Metal Tape Technique ATCs. These are for the arttechniquesatc group. This technique uses hardware store metal tape that you can emboss and then highlight with black acrylic paint, or you can color it with alcohol inks (landscape ATC in center). I used some Twisted paper images from a downloadable collage sheet. The tape is fun to play around with!

Tulip 3 Collaged

Since these will be swapped, I felt I need to collage one in more earthy tones since lots of people prefer those colors to brights or pastels. I used some of the "holey" paper from Phoenix Arts, and some antique dictionary text. The flower is a Basic Grey paper.

Tulip 2 Collaged (Step 2)

This is the second monoprint with collage papers added. I am not sure if I like the paper on the top left. A bit too busy, I am thinking. I may change it.

Monoprint Collages Step 2

I added papers to the first tulip monoprint. When I looked closer at the magazine samples, I noticed cut edges on the attached papers. This made it easier to fit the pieces in the curved areas. I held the monoprint up to a window (a lightbox would also work; too lazy to take mine out). I drew the shape I wanted to cover with a pencil onto my chosen collage paper. Cut out, and attached all pieces with regular matte gel medium (Golden).

More Experiments with Monoprinting

You can see how much darker the tulips are compared to the daisy and the pears below. This was a fun process, and I think I will try more intricate designs at another time. I used a Speedball Printer's Block and a small Speedball brayer. I also used Speedball Block Printing Ink in Black.I probably used too much ink, because my very first print was all black, but you could see the design through it. I just drew with a pencil very quickly without stressing over perfection. The next steps to these monoprints will be adding torn papers to the images. I will post the collaged prints when I have done that step. The Arttechniques group is doing a swap based on an article in the recent Cloth Paper Scissors on pages 38-39. Check it out and give it a try!