It's A Mistake! Well No, Not Really.

As artists, we all turn out something we look at and frown - what was I thinking! We may be so frustrated that we have a strong urge to throw it into the trash. But wait! Hold onto it for a while, you may discover something you didn't see before.

Here is a piece that I did when I discovered Heavy Gel and stenciling. Wow, I thought - this is great! And I happily overdid it until the end result was just not something to write home about.

The coloring was nice, but what could you say about the piece? No focal point, no point at all actually, other than showing what different stencils I had. So I stuck it on a shelf and decided that at some point I would comeback to it and figure something out.

Fast forward about a year later, and I pulled it off the shelf, and had another look at it. Suddenly I had an idea! I put more Heavy Gel on it to bring it up almost to the where the stencil shapes were. I painted several layers on it, and rummaged through my stacks of papers, did some cutting, some detail work and arranged them on the piece. And ta-da, here is what we have now!

What a difference, right? So don't be too hasty about mistakes - they could be "happy accidents" in disguise!

Click on any photo you would like to see closer!

Come see my latest postcards I've received on Postcards Buffet!

FINIS! on the Art Postcards!

I hope that my American readers had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We celebrated at a local nice restaurant, and I will tell more about that later. I finally finished the postcards I was doing for some other ladies who have this same illness. It was a protracted project because of my own illness, and some of the photos may seem a bit out of focus because my fibro has made it difficult to bend over. But all that aside, I hope you enjoy looking at them!

The beginning posts are here, here and here, if you would like to see how things started and how they progressed. The materials I used include printed tissue paper, acrylic paints, soft gel, silver leaf pen, gold leaf pen and copper leaf pen, sequins, pages from old books and music sheets, "gems", metal pieces, postage stamps, dried flower petals, old jewelry, and stencil.

 Please click on any postcard you would like to view closer for details.

Come see my latest postcards I've received on Postcards Buffet!

The Old Mine

All right - I finished my latest painting!

The Old Mine

(click for details)

This is 12 x 12 wrapped around canvas. I used torn pieces of corrugated cardboard, with the paper backing pulled from one side so I could have the ridges to work with. Also, I used a cardboard protector that comes around a cup of coffee which had lovely circle texture. The painting includes acrylic paint, heavy gel medium, some stencils (they are in the background) and some really great old iron rings found on a friend's property which are all nice and thick with rust. There are also gear shapes I cut out of the corrugated cardboard. What a fun piece to do! And now, I shall rest the remainder of the day, 'cause I'm worn out!

Come see my latest postcards I've received on Postcards Buffet!

Canvas Postcard

I had a 7 x 5 canvas which had something painted on it, and it was in my scrap box because I really did not care for it. So I pulled it out and spent some time altering it for a post card.

INFINITY WITH RED

Using a light coat of gesso, and then wiping some of it off, I stenciled some black dots, and added some stamped stars. Next was a cutout piece of red paper, and a rusted iron ring, then using my favorite number stencil, I added a layer of heavy gel medium. After it dried, I started layering paints and wiping and laying some more. I also used micron brush tips and spica pens. At the end, I used some touches of gold Rub & Buff. If you are wondering why I bothered stenciling the dots and adding the stars, it adds depth, and if you look at it closely, they are there. Your mind sees what your eyes cannot sometimes and so you perceive depth!

And it goes into the mail today!

Feeling very tired today, and not nearly as up as I was yesterday. Will probably be spending more time today resting. Still learning about pacing and eventually I hope I will get the hang of it. Thankful for all of the prayers which have gone up on my behalf! And for those who asked about the address of the Etsy Shop from yesterday's post, I haven't forgotten - I will list it for you as soon as I find it! :)

Come see my latest postcards I've received on Postcards Buffet!

Finished Postcard - Magic Carpet

Yesterday, I started this postcard (here) and today I was able to complete it. I used a new stencil, and I think I will have to be particular about what I use it for, because the results are not quite what I had hoped. But all in all I am pretty pleased with the way it turned out!

Magic Carpet

(click for details)

The base is paper made from a milk carton, with a paint stained baby wipe attached. the mixed media includes 4 international postage stamps, ribbon, Lumiere metallic paint, Golden acrylics, heavy gel medium, buttons, embroidery thread and stickles, which do not show because they have a glitter in it (so it's a bit sparkly in the grooves). I also used some Stabilo pencils. Now it will be sent to another continent!

Last night was a rough one, had a hard time getting to sleep and then staying asleep. The good news is that it is not happening as frequently as before, the bad news is that I am really wiped out and this post will be the biggest event of the day for me! :)

Please leave a comment, I really enjoy them!

Come see my latest postcards I've received on Postcards Buffet!

Journal Page

Another journal page. Sometimes a page is worked on over several days time, until it seems "done". On other pages, I scribble and make notes of ideas I see in some of my art publications. This one has a scribble and then it exploded into art over several days, as I had the energy.

(click for details)

I used acrylic paint, stencils, oil pastels, rubber stamp, postage stamps and a bit of lace, on top of collage scraps and pages.

What beautiful days we have been having! It is the 20th of May, and nighttime temps are down in the high 50's, with daytime in the 70's. My darling husband bought me a rope hammock for Christmas and I have been able to put it to great use! I have had the window open in my studio and have enjoyed the bird calls and buzzing of bees. The peanut feeder outside my window has been refilled many times, as Downy and Hairy woodpeckers, finches and titmice fight over whose turn it is. The bluebirds in the standing birdhouse has started another family and the ones on the porch nest platform have launched their first brood. I saw a Chipping Sparrow with a beak full of dried grasses to line its nest. I had to change some of the configuration of the bird feeders because the greedy Grackles were wiping out everything before many of the other birds had a chance. I've watched cardinals, bluebirds, starlings, titmice, and several other birds feed their flying young which followed them to the feeders. The breeze is wonderful! I saw a chipmunk run to hide in the pile of rocks in the back yard. Flowers are growing and the red rose we planted in the corner of the fence is a beautiful spot of color with the sunshine on it. 

We are blessed!

Come see my latest postcards I've received on Postcards Buffet!

Journal Journey

I have often seen art journals and just as often thought of doing one. They manifest themselves in all colors, shapes, and sizes, reflecting the owner's artful thoughts and feelings. It's always a work in progress, with one journal leading to another. But I have hesitated, because I don't like to commit to something when I am so unsure of what one day will be to the next.

But in reality, we all do not know what the next day will be. And if I am too fatigued and exhausted to lift a paint brush, or glue a scrap of paper, then I won't. When I can, I will. I like being able to express in color what I may be feeling, what I have experienced and all of it with the reality of God in the mix. So, I am sharing a couple of pages of what I hope will be a full book someday, and which will lead to others.

(click for details)

This is mainly scraps from around my art table, including papers I had swished paint on when I was using up leftover paint. After adding the scraps, I added some matte gel, just playing with texture, and put a little more paint on there.

(click for details)

And then last night, I had difficulty going to sleep (once again) so up I went to my studio with a glass of wine and played with some stencils and paint. Then I was able to go back to bed and fall asleep for the rest of the night.

So, this is my "expressionism" as opposed to finished art. It is a fun thing to do!

Come see my latest postcards I've received on Postcards Buffet!