It's a Tangled Web...

One of the "artistic" endeavors that I have wanted to try for a while is Zentangle.  So, when Sherry started sharing her creations, I decided to use it as a swift kick in the pants to give it a go.

Let me share just a couple of insights before I show my first attempt at this art form.

1) Zentangle or inspired by Zentangle takes practice.  And in my case, quite a bit more is needed in order for this to be a relaxing form of art versus a death grip on the pen.

2) I would recommend getting some type of beginning book on Zentangle.  I, being the impatient one, tried to skip that part and just pull up Tangle patterns from this site.  While this is a WONDERFUL resource, I think that my first tangling adventure could have gone so much smoother without trying to look through so many different patterns then follow the various links to the directions.

3) I also learned that leaving some white space is not bad.  My "tangle" is a quite busy for my taste!

4) In keeping with what I learned in #3, I would also say that it is fine to repeat a pattern to give some cohesiveness to the final outcome

And most importantly
5) Zentangle is VERY addictive.  Proceed at your own risk!

I think I might have another go at this particular thread that Sherry provided.  Maybe I'll find it more relaxing then next go around!!

'Till then......weave in some creativity into your day!

Continuing on the Canvas

This summer is flying by and if I blink, my kids will be back in school! During this whirlwind that I call life, I haven't had much time to create.

Actually, if I'm really honest, I haven't really had the desire to create.  I'm finding myself overwhelmed by stuff.  


"Stuff" on the calendar that fill our days.
"Stuff" that is piling up in my craft room.
"Stuff" that is piling up in the house in general.
"Stuff" that is being added to the the to do list.
"Stuff" that I need to start to tackle, but don't even know where to begin!

But today, I decided to take a little "me" time and work on the mixed media canvas that I started several weeks ago.

It's still a learning experience.  And I have seemed to have made her smile more of a smirk, which I cannot, for the life of me, figure out how to fix despite several attempts.  This is one of those projects where you add a little bit of shading, stand back, look, ponder, add a little bit more. Walk away, ponder, add a little bit more and then ponder some more.

I am getting to the place where I need to just leave well enough alone before I totally over work the piece and ruin it.  

Except I need to do some more work on the eyes.  And her hair.  Hair was my nemesis in college art classes.  It would appear it still is! haha!

But, for now, I'm going to walk away again and ponder.  

And feed my kids.  Seems that this wannabe artist has to bring herself back to reality and take care of family stuff.

'Till next time...............

16 Attempts......

.....for a very basic CAS (clean and simple) card is a sure sign that MoJo has left the house!

I know it has been a while since I've last posted.  Our smaller office is growing (a good thing), requiring me to work almost every day (both good and bad.  Good in that work has picked up, bad in that work has picked up, not allowing me any free time!!).  During this busy time, I've made an important discovery.  My MoJo does not do well with stress!!  In addition to the stress of work and having our charting system crash (which means I'm not able to get ANY of my paperwork done!!), by the time I get off work, drive an hour to watch the Oldest Kiddo play in summer league basketball, drive home, throw in a load of laundry, throw a basic dinner together, spend some time with the family,  I not only have no energy to attempt creating, I also have no desire to create.

That, my blog friends, is NOT a good thing for someone who needs to create for her self preservation!!

16 ATTEMPTS it took to come up with this card.  I'll spare you the details of the other attempts.  Let's just say that the idea in my head looked better there than it did on paper!!

And I'm still not thrilled with it, but since I still needed to make thank you cards for the Oldest Kiddo to send out from his birthday IN MAY, I had to accept what is, is!!  I don't think that birthday's are given the same grace period of sending out thanks as weddings are!!

Basics:  Top fold 4.25x5.5" Pure Luxury White.  The "Thanks" stamp is one I have had close to 15 years!"  The "You Rock" sentiment is from Tami Mayberry's "Live Life Loud" set. Both were stamped using my stampamajig and Distress Peeled Paint Ink.

The flourish is from SU's "Extreme Elements".  I first inked in Peeled paint, stamped off then inked in Distress Tumbled Glass.  I didn't  worry about contaminating my stamp pad.  After I finished all the cards, I smooshed my Tumbled Glass ink pad onto a scrap piece of paper until the green tint mostly disappeared.  A little hint of green doesn't bother me!!

Posting will be scarce for a while I'm afraid.  I'm covering full time next week for a vacationing therapist. Did I mention that our charting system crashed?!  Not sure how long it will be before we have something new in place.  Which means at some point and time I will be required to take all my hand written notes and re enter them in the electronic system....grrrrrr.

In addition, I NEED to start cleaning out my crafting area.  I use the spare bedroom as my creative area/office/junk room.  Come August, it looks like we will have one of the students from the school living with us.  As of right now, he does not even have room in this mess to put a bed! LOL!  Stay tuned for the chance to win some boxes of free goodies!  I have got to downsize MAJORLY!

'Till next time....if you find my MoJo, would you please give her a message?  Tell her I'm sorry life has been so busy, but if she'll come home, I PROMISE to make some creative time!!

Steampunk Time

Wow!  Thanks so much for all the wonderful comments you have all left in regards to the retirement of the 

E-Team.  Knowing that you all found inspiration in what we all shared is humbling and inspiring to keep on creating!  There is still time to leave a comment and be considered for the chance to win the generous blog prize of some yummy Ten Second Studio metal and molds!  Comments can be left here until Sunday!

While I won't be a design team member anymore, I'm not going anywhere! I'll still be around sharing bits and pieces of what grabs my creative fancy!  

Today, that fancy would be a card.  I was asked by the front office gals to make the office birthday card for one of the assistant therapists.  *L has a bit of an eclectic side to her, so I went with Graphic45 and a Steampunk theme. 

Because one can never go wrong with Steampunk when thinking eclectic, in my humble opinion.  

Card details:  Base is Gina K's Pure Luxury Ivory in 5 1/2" square.  Graphic45's Steampunk Debutante Collection for all the design paper elements.  I used Tim Holtz's Idea-ology Timeworks mask with Distress Ink in Antique Linen to sponge the large clock on the background.  I adhered scrap portions of the butterfly border to Wendy Vecchi's Blackout modeling film, cut them out and heated to shape.  The body's of the butterflies were then attached to the border using some Glossy Accents. Sponging with Distress Vintage Photo ink was done along the edges of butterfly border and the background border.  The butterfly border was then adhered with dimensionals to give more of a "framed" look.

I stamped Unity's Itty Bitty Time Flies onto a scrap piece of the Graphic45 paper and covered with Glossy Accents.  Due to an impatient glitch on my part, I had to apply another layer of the glossy accents to try and smooth out my "oops".  It's not perfect, but I did not have time to do it over, so it is what it is!!  

The wings were die cut from TenSecond Studios Rock Star Black metal using Tim Holtz's Alterations die Heart Wings.  I then embossed the wings with an embossing folder (sorry, I don't have the name on the folder...it is a Cuttlebug folder) and sanded off the raised portion, exposing the aluminum.  The Time was adhered using a double layer of dimensionals.  

Lousy picture, but it does show the dimension of the butterflies!  I like the fact that these butterflies will NOT get smooshed!!

I hope you are enjoying your weekend!  I got to take a nice long walk/hike (we did a bit off trail!) this morning with friends and now I need to the disaster zone that was once my kitchen!!  

'Till then....enjoy some creativity!

 

Saying Good-bye

Today is the final blog hop for the E-Team (sniff, sniff).  Like all fun rides, the E-Team has come to an end (more details on that below).

BUT!  Daisy has decided that the closing show is gonna be the BEST!

Visit each blog and leave a comment, between today,Wed, June 27, and Sunday, July 1, for a chance to win  a special blog prize that will be given away on each Team member's blogs!

While being on the E-Team, my love for working with metal from TenSecond Studios grew.  Daisy thought it would be appropriate that my special blog prize share some of that love with you!

Can I just say that I'm giddy about this prize?!!  Seriously, everything you need to get started using metal in your own projects!!

P.S.  Cheryl and Megan have some great videos on using their metal on their site.  PLUS:  I have a few tutorials here.  And, of course, I am more than willing to share what I've learned about this medium with you!!  I hope you leave a comment for the chance to win the opportunity to explore creating with one of my personal favorite mediums!!

Here are the links to the other Team Member Blogs.  You do NOT want to miss out on their projects!

Daisy

Broni

Linda L

Micki

Sherry

Me!

Winner's will be announced on the eP blog Tuesday, July 3.

*****

I don't know about you, but I hate good-byes.  Especially, when I am saying good-bye to people I love to hang out with or if it is something I love doing.

Today, I have to say good-bye to both.

Almost two years ago, I got asked to join E-Team.  Me.  

Now, mind you, I am not "known" in the paper craft community.  I had (and have) been involved in the SCS forums for several years, but really, I am not one of those people who everyone knows their name, oo's and ahh's over each project, companies ask them to be on their design teams, followers ask to take pictures with.

I'm in my own little corner of the crafting world, sharing what I enjoy doing.

Lucky for me, Sherry saw something in my work that she felt could grow with a little push.

Okay.  More like a shove.


And she convinced Daisy of the same.

Oh. My. Goodness.

I was now on the same design team with my "idols":  Sherry, Broni, Linda D.  Then added to the mix were other well known designers.  Linda L, Micki, Latrice.

No pressure here, LOL!

 You know what?!  Grabbing the E-Ticket was one of the most fun, thrilling, enjoyable creative rides I have been on!!  There was moments of panic, laughter, g-force grins and dips in the track (ie, saying good-bye to Latrice and Linda D.).  Most of all, good times with gals who became good friends.

But, like all the good rides, this one has come to an end too soon.  Daisy has decided that it is time she moves in a different direction from eclecticPaperie.

I am sooo happy that Daisy knows which path she wants to explore now.

I am sooo sad that the eP park is closing.

I'm on an emotional roller coast ride now!!

Today, the E-Team is saying good-bye with projects that are inspired by favorite Disney quotes. I decided that sometimes, the classics are the best. And that "silly old bear" summed everything up perfectly.  I drew a pen and pastel drawing with much acknowledgement and inspiration from the original drawing of Ernest H. Shepard for Winnie the Pooh. (page 158 in my book).

"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying Good-bye so hard"

-Winnie the Pooh (A.A Milne)

To the E-Team.   I love you all!!

Over the Hill

It is nearly the end of June.

Seriously?  School just got out.  How in the world can it be the end of June?!  The phrase "Time Flies" needs to be tattooed across my forehead.

Ok.  Not my forehead.  That would call attention to the wrinkles that are there.  Maybe I just need to put it on a sign and hang it on the door. Of course, that would require me to clean off my desk area so I could make the sign.  And the rate time is flying, that is not likely to happen before July.


ANYWAYS...

This morning I had to "whip" out a card that was needed for a family friend's 60th birthday roast.  As per my usual MO, I was running around chasing Time and barely got the card cranked out before I had to try and  make myself look somewhat presentable for the party.  Since this was to be a roast, a somewhat snarky card was needed.

Bugaboo Digital stamps to the rescue.

Inside:  I just can't get up it!!

Since my mojo tends to take off running when I have a very limited time to come up with a card, I used the CPS 269 sketch for inspiration.  

Basic card details:  Base is SU's Kraft, top fold, 5 1/2" x 4 1/4".  Decorative paper is from an old pad of Making Memories Just Chillin'.  The image was printed out on Georgia Pacific #110, since my printer hates my preferred Pure Luxury.  I die cut the image using Spellbinder's Classic Rectangles.  While the paper was still in the die, I did some light sponging with Distress Ink in Peeled Paint and Tumbled Glass.  Faded Jeans ink was used around the edges of all the layers.

A mish mash of over 21 Copic markers was used on the image.  Glossy Accents was applied on the glasses and the card was deemed done, thrown in an envelope and out the door we went!

That's about it for me today.  Stay tuned as the E-Team has another Inspired by Words blog hop in the works for later this coming week.  

'Till then................

Learning Experience

I know that it has been awhile since I posted last, but I will give no excuses or apologies!  The summer is flying by with practices, games, social events, attempts at resuming a regular exercise program, yard work,, some very basic house work and that paying job occasionally!  I have decided that the posting to the blog is just not high on the list right now. Sorry!  Oops! An apology snuck in there!! In all honesty, while I try to do it all, I can't.

Wait.  Did I just say that?!

It's true.  I don't have the energy, enough hours or the desire to try to cram it all in.  Soooo.  The blog is going to suffer from even more infrequent posts for a while.

With that being said, I have continued to try to work on my mixed media canvas here and there.

I'm chalking this one up to a learning experience.

It started with an idea to add color to the background.

It didn't work.  So I tried to fix it.  That didn't work either.  So, now I have a background that is WAAAY too dark.

Believe it or not, I'm still contemplating on trying to fix it.  The problem is, I'm not sure HOW.  


But despite the mess I've made of the background, I'm having a bit more fun playing with some pastels. I haven't touched pastels since I was a freshman in college.

I'm afraid to say this.....but that was a loooong time ago.

So far, the girl looks NOTHING like my picture reference!  LOL! And, I'm ok with that since I don't think she is turning out badly.  And, since she looks nothing like the reference, I can have another go at it and  NO ONE will be the wiser that I used the same picture!! BWHAHAHAAA!!

Actually, there is a slight resemblance. Like those age progression pictures.  Maybe once I figure out the shading technique with the pastels, I'll do the second attempt....showing the "younger" girl next!! And if I'm REALLY adventurous, I could try to "age" her some more, as she might look even later in life.

Snort....

Yeah.  I need to just get this one done first!! LOL!!

Any suggestions on how to fix the background is welcomed.  I'm going to walk away from this for a day or so and focus on the never ending laundry!

'Till then....it might not be what was expected, but lessons and fun can still be had with it!!