Do You Know Yupo?

Have you ever heard of Yupo paper? Actually, it's not really even a "paper". It is made of
a synthetic polymer and has many positive aspects. Here's a description from Jerry's Artarama, and artist supply store:

The world's first erasable watercolor paper!

Yupo is the first and most popular synthetic art paper on the market. The non-absorbent, ultra-smooth surface allows paints like watercolor and acrylics to sit right on top of the paper, making for beautiful, watery effects unachievable on any other paper. It also holds pen and ink lines with razor sharp precision, and markers work beautifully on Yupo's unique surface as well. With its durable, non-tearing construction it can withstand multiple erasures and you can even run it under a faucet to erase watercolors! The non-absorbent nature of Yupo also means it will not buckle, no matter how much water you put on it, and it makes colors more vibrant and brilliant than on standard papers as all of the color sits on the surface. Available in medium and heavy weight white varieties and now new translucent Yupo! Explore the versatility of synthetic paper with Yupo, the world's first erasable watercolor paper!

So I purchased a pad a while back and I wanted to show you what I did with a sheet, actually a half of a 11x14 sheet and a few bottles of alcohol ink.

It was great fun, and I hope to try other ideas as well. The colors are vibrant and you know how I love color!

Also, I have a sale at Bellesouth Studio! Here's the information from a flyer I sent out by email and I hope you take advantage of this great sale! Just click on the link "Bellesouth Studio" and start shopping! 

Special Discount For Limited Time

Bellesouth Studio is offering a special introductory discount from today until Oct.31, 2013 for 15 buyers. Use code TYXDFG to get a 20% discount off of my markup on all products in your shopping cart. I'm excited about my Gallery and the great artwork and other items available and have already added another piece since I sent out the last email! Please enjoy looking through the items I have listed and use your discount. Use it on everything from greeting cards to any size print. Remember it is available on my markup, not the total, and the difference will show on the checkout page. 

Click on any photo you would like to see closer!

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

Art Is A Friend

I did this piece this morning. I'm really having to remind myself to spend more time down than up, because once I go one second across the line, the payback and recovery takes 10 times longer. No, that is not an exaggeration, as my family can attest. But it's hard to just lie there and one can play just so many computer games, and one can't think clearly and aches so badly, it's hard to do anything else. This was made as a good reminder to me!

(click for details)

Mixed media with liquid watercolor, oil pastels, alcohol inks and a paint pen. A little rubber stamping is thrown in for detail! Another journal page.

It's so cool and pleasant here! We had a cool front go through, and the temperatures are dry enough and cool enough to have the windows open and I'm loving having the window open on the second of June! Never would have happened when we lived in Charleston!

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

Tag Tuesday - Surprise, sort of, and a Story: UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

Well, the "surprise" is that there is no Tag Tuesday challenge today, but if you read my post last Tuesday, you aren't really surprised at all! The art I do have for you today is pretty simple.

(click for details)

This was done a week ago for something my daughter is doing. Back in January we were both struggling with facing the long cold days till the first day of Spring and she came up with the idea of posting a count down photo on her Facebook account. Each day would be a different picture with the number of days left till that day came. She started with 68 and has been faithful to have something unique each day. She is a very talented artist and the pictures have been very creative. There have been a few "guest" artists and I was one of them. Obviously I did the artwork for 13 days left till Spring. 

I did this on a 4 x 4, using alcohol ink and a blending tool. Then I rubber stamped the Rook card on it and attached some fabric leaves and crepe flowers. Pretty simple, but colorful. (You may have noticed that the same Rook card showed up in last week's tag - it was a cast off piece which worked well!)

Today's story is actually from a post I did last June. I've had a few not so great days and some "brain fog" so it was hard to think clearly. Hope you enjoy it again!

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

12th in the Tuesday Story Series

Living in the country as we do now, we catch a whiff of skunk odor every now and then when we are driving on the roads. It reminds me of an experience we had several years ago and since we now live close to the State Park where this happened, I wouldn't be surprised if it happened again when we go camping there.


We were still living in Charleston and had taken the camper to Table Rock State Park in the mountains. After settling in and enjoying the park that first day, the children had gone to sleep and John and I stretched out on full length folding chairs to talk and rest. After it had gotten quite dark, we noticed several animals moving about in the shadows cast by the yellow outdoors light from the camper. Suddenly they came right toward us, sniffing the ground and looking for any bits of food. There were at least 8 skunks, black and white, blond and black, black, white and blond. 


They acted as if we weren't there and we just froze. Several went right underneath our legs on the chair, bumping against us with their backs. All I could think of was how horrible it would smell if all of those skunks were upset at once! We sat still and did whisper to each other once or twice, and they just ignored us, continuing their search for any crumbs of food in the campsite. Eventually, they left as nonchalantly as they had entered, and we were able to take a deep breath! I'm still amazed at the variety of colors and patterns I saw. I wish I had had my camera, but then again, that might have been the one thing they would not have liked!


Early last year, we found a dead skunk in the road in front of our house and the dogs were all excited and wanted to use it as a toy. Visions of having to purchase a case of tomato juice to bathe two dogs outside in icy weather quickly convinced us that the only thing to do was to bury it as soon as possible. We dug a hole by the side of the road and deposited the skunk. A few months later, I noticed that the skunk, or what was then left of it, had been dug up and taken off somewhere by some animal. The odor still hung in the air around the empty hole in the ground. I'm sure glad it was not on the dogs fur!


If you are interested, click to see the variety of skunk colors! In South Carolina we have spotted and striped skunk, and I think we saw both that night.