Thursday, January 31, 2013

Sometimes it just works!





Sometimes I get all the pieces of my work to completion!! It makes me so happy!! Usually, I start with a sketch in my sketch book.  My sketchbook is just filled with images from my head or pics I see.  (My sketching is not beautiful at all!!)
After I sketch, I usually redraw it and color it.  I use neocolors or markers to put color to the sketch.  Sometimes I skip this step and just color in my sketchbook, it just depends on my mood!
Then I put the whole thing together with a background!  This canvas I just made today while sitting with my Thursday ladies at my LSS, Altered Angel!  I really like it!!

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Finding time!!

It rained here for weeks!! I seriously thought that Atlanta was the new Seattle!! We are so used to sunshine and weeks without rain, that I usually do welcome a rainy day just for a downtime day. I don't know how people live in rainy climates . . . props to you!! So during those rainy weeks I made a couple of pages, a canvas and started thrift store shopping for projects!! I started the table and bought a couple of clipboards to alter. I haven't started those yet, but they will be next! However, as soon as the rain cleared, my calendar filled up!! With all these new projects I find that everytime I turn around to work, I find something else pulling me away. Maybe I would get more art done in a rainy climate!!!



Saturday, January 26, 2013

Cover the Naked Sofa!!

Since I moved my desk from behind the sofa last week, I have had a naked sofa.  It sits in the middle of the room all by itself.   So I had the brilliant (insert sarcasm here)  idea to get a table and refinish it.  I have seen so many done on pintrest and blogs . . . I figured it was my turn.  Now, I found one that I totally liked at the local Goodwill, but the tags were already taken . . . so I went with the second best one.  It has Queen Anne legs and has some serious 1980's yellow oak going on . . . but I am going to fix that!!  SURE!! 

(It happens to be the coldest weather we have has so far in Georgia this year. That means that I am working in our uber messy garage, so please ignore the bikes and the car and the other stuff we keep out there!!)

 So far, I have bought the stain gel and started stripping the varnish off.  I used some goopy Citristip to start.  It is sticky and smells like oranges but it worked!! I can now see the oak without the '80's. 




Now, I am going to sand.  I bought sand paper!!  We will see how that goes!!  Go with the grain, right??


Sunday, January 20, 2013

Waiting for Paint to Dry . . .



I am waiting for paint to dry . . . in two different journals.  I painted my art journal one color yesterday and hated it.  I tried to fix an old ugly gray paint with white and some teal . . . but no.  Just a puddle of yucky gray on my page.  So I waited, thinking it might look different the next day but it didn't. I just repainted it a teal and white mix and it looks okay, still just not happy with the background color! Then while I was waiting I brought out a She Girl journal that I started when I took Christy Tomlinson's She Art class to create another girl.  But I decided to just gesso the page instead of a paper and glue background which made another journal waiting to dry. Now, I have to wait. I browsed the 'net for a little while looking for some inspirational photos and here they are!!



Butterfly -
Butterfly
Cute :)
Sewing Kit

Banana Split Cupcakes
Banana Split Cupcakes

Friday, January 18, 2013

SUNSHINE!!

Awww, after weeks of rain and overcast skies, it is finally back to sunny ATLANTA!! Whoohoo!! I can't tell you how good it feels to be back in the sun!! It might still be 30something outside, but I don't care, the sun is back!!

So I moved my desk to the window . . . and I think I like it! I wanted to get a bigger one, but I think this one just fits in the spot perfectly.  (Although, that still won't stop me from heading over to Ballard's Backroom to see what else might work there too!!)




And while staying at home in the rain was driving me crazy, I managed to wrangle in my friend to go thrift store shopping with me yesterday . . . and so here comes my crazy find.   I saw this green box sitting on a shelf and I liked the shape so I picked it up.  I opened the box and inside it were hundreds of pristine Betty Crocker Recipe cards from 1971.  It is awesome.  How in the world did I miss that food had fashion and trends like everything else in this world!!    SO, I vow to cook some of the best the 1970's has to offer . . . from Chicken Fricassee with Dumplings to Hot Salad in a basket . . .   I can't wait!! I will have to post the best pictures from the recipe cards soon!!  (The "Arty-Party" cake might just be my favorite . . .) 


Tuesday, January 15, 2013

It is time to stop working . . .

when your brush ends up in your coffee cup!!  It is rainy and dreary today but I had a pretty good morning working on my make-up case.  I just have gone crazy and I don't know what it will end up as at the end . . . but we will see!!


Monday, January 14, 2013

New Project!!

I was SO excited to find this old Samsonite case at Goodwill  the other day!! It was the best thrifty shopping day . . . I found this case, an old clipboard, a huge bag of unused embroidery floss, an old vintage textbook and a bag made from Capris Sun Juice Drink containers!! I was smiling the whole time!! But I have been wanting to alter one of these old make-up cases FOREVER!!  (It even smells like old make-up inside!)  So, here we go with the glue . . . .

 

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Inspiration Photos . . . from Pintrest

I just finished filling a sketchbook today.    I love finishing a sketch book but I also hate starting a new one.  I just think a new book seems so empty and scary.    So tonight I am surfing Pintrest for pics to sketch . . . here are a few of my favorites!!



Vintage 1950s party dress | tulle 50s dress

 vintage 1950s party dress | tulle 50s dress











   


 


  






























Organic Strawberries

Follow this one tip in your garden get a ton of strawberries! Also a little strawberry education!
                         

  










Lotus Perfection
 Lotus perfection

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

I have a Blick gift card . . .

For Christmas I got a gift card to Blick!! Can't wait to drive over there and drool at all the art supplies!! But I thought that before I go, I should TRY and clean out (or at least look at) what I have already and then I won't buy duplicates!  But then I found some fun 'new' supplies in my stash and came up with the treehouse page and the bird's nest page!! I am in love!!  But don't worry, I am still going to go over to Blick's later this week!!




And here is a page and a canvas that never made it here . . . 



This would make a fun pic!

Here is a little inspiration . . . I love this jar full of conversation hearts!
Valentines

Monday, January 7, 2013