Time to be creative

  

A day off of work is so exciting. I have several projects that I am working on and I finished some recently. Though it is past Valentine's Day; these were some fun projects.

 

These cute mail boxes are from this fun blog. She has the design measurements and process photos. I was on a roll and made some for my office, my daughter's office, and even my other daughter's track team. Making cards and little things like this is a great stress reliever for me. These were good to make as I used up a lot of my white scrap paper!

 



 

Then I finished an ATC for February over at Paper Traders. The photo is a little washed out so it doesn't show the background too well. I am trying some new techniques. PINTEREST has so many great ideas!! The background started with chalk ink. I pressed the pad over a vegetable bag. Then added gesso and more inks. The random hearts are tissue paper, glitter paper, and scraps of paper. The lace was another scrap I had. I have scraps of paper, ribbon, and lace all over the place. How do you organize your scraps???

Well hope you have a great day, Amanda

Sketching

 

Not sure how to say this but I wonder if anyone else feels this. I love to draw. Love to see the beauty around me. However, it is still raw my ability to capture it. I will keep working on it.

 

A few weeks ago I got to escape over to the Bay and saw an amazing sun set over the ocean. I was drawing and added some watercolor pencils.  

 

 



Then the next day we went to my favorite museum and viewed art by the Masters. Before we had to come home, we took a moment over at the Golden Gate Bridge. The water, sail boats, and amazing red beams were just one of those moments you just can't help but love. I plan to keep trying to sketch these things; and if nothing else, it is my excuse to go back.

Enjoy your day, Amanda

Pages for me

 

I received these awesome pages from Shelly at Paper Traders. Like the projects I have been working on others have been working on pages for me. My requirements are a theme of Ocean. This is the first one I have received. The pages are beautiful. The background is watercolor and blending. The corral is hand painted. And then the two pieces of glass pieces are from the ocean where she lives. She also included a Longfellow quote. This is so me, I just love it. I really love working with this group and the items we share with each other. I am blessed.

Have a wonderful week, Amanda

Blank Slate

Art can do so much and I found that it helps me in many ways.

I am working on my next tip-in trade pages for the swap at Paper Traders. The request is White on White pages. I love this idea. So here is my first phase. I cut the pages and there are elements I want to use but do not know if it will all stay.

 

The heart is something I cut with the cricut on some ledger looking paper and the very tip has a butterfly.

 This is some texture wallpaper with leaves.

This is some tissue paper with a light pink pattern. She said that muted color was acceptable. I am still thinking but gesso could cover some. I really love this paper because of the shine and the pattern.

Even with a request of white on white there are many options. Starting with a blank slate is refreshing and reminds me that there is always an option to restart and hope will guide you through.

Wonderful days and much to be thankful for and the Top 5:

1. So much to learn and enjoying every minute

2. PINTEREST fun

3. Stressful job helps me to value my art time

4. Time with my girls

5. The many blues of a morning sky

Have a wonderful week and wishing you projects that give you hope.

Amanda

Moving Forward

 

This is my first page in my new Art Journal. It comes from the Word Prompt Challenge at Paper Traders for January; Live Simply. I see that I like strong distraction. There are several layers with this page. First the water colored background, then gesso bubble wrap, then scraps of paper, stamped boarder and bees. Added the stamped butterfly with the wire antenna. I cheated on my lettering as the LIVE is cutouts and Simply is stamped. I need to practice more so that I get comfortable with my own. Also need to keep it more simple, funny that is the concept of this page. Well moving forward, no mistakes just opportunities to grow. Have a great week!

Sunday Journal

 

Finally got this together. This is my new Art Journal for a challenge at Paper Traders, 2013 Word Prompt, Life Mantras. They have a great link for the making of this from Teesha Moore's website. This journal was created using one 140lb watercolor paper 30x24 sheet. She has great video instructions on her site. The final size of this journal is 8x10.

 

 

I remembered to take some pictures as I was painting it. Forgot to when I was making it but it is a start. I made some of the mistakes she talks about but it is my first one of many more. It is really easy to make and I love the way it comes out.  

Some pages are fold-ins. Love the size and creative options this makes. I do like adding the paint and with a wet brush spreading the color and then taking a paper towel and removing some and adding swirls of dimension. (Another video on Teesha's site)

 

I made my brush too wet and colors bled through to the other pages. (She warns in her video)  I will do better next time. The varying color shading is so fun. I do need to get back to the journal though. ,In this challenge, each month we are to follow a word prompt and January is Live Simple and must include stamping. As it is the 27th, I better get to getting.... 

I am very thankful for so much but my top 5 are:

1. Sunday morning of beautiful winter sun

2. Watercolors that are never the same twice

3. Catholic Schools Sunday and little ones in uniforms, first time in 20 years it is not my girls (A little feeling old... haha)

4. Remembering that no mistakes just options

5. Fresh pages for creating

Working out the bugs

 

 

I am going to remember one day to take step pictures. These are ATCs for a SWAP at Paper Traders. The guidelines were to use the colors pink, brown, and white. I wanted to have layers for the background so I started with ink various shades of pink.  Then stamped the script writing with brown ink. Used some gesso to get a more aged look. The flowers are from a old napkin and I decoupaged them on. The bottom is an embossed brown paper with pink ribbon and an old button. I did want to add some letters but ended up with a small pink tag and stamped love on it. Still looking for a better way to ink backgrounds. Any ideas?

January Sunday

 

Whenever there are times I do not know what would be the right thing to do, I have learned to seek guidance from nature and God. From nature, I see such beauty. Though the branches are bare, inside growth is starting again. I am learning to do this myself. I am trying to get back to blogging and connecting with my art. Writing and blogging is a personal growth that makes me feel good and the art I find is amazing Looking forward to a new journey this year, hope you come along with me. If you have any thoughts on how to begin again without feeling overwhelmed I would love to hear from you. One item I do want to begin again is my Top 5 list.

Today I am truly thankful for

1. Crisp beauty in the morning
2. Family and daughters
3. Simple prayers
4. Embossing
5. Ink on my fingers again

Have a beauty and peaceful day, Amanda

Simple day

 

 

Some days I dream of being somewhere else like near the ocean. It is my way to escape some of the pressure I feel from work and other parts of my life. However, I am also inspired when I am dreaming and become creative.

 

 

I was thinking that my office needed something Halloweeny so I made this candy corn garland. The candy corn is old paper bags and paint, nothing fancy just simple fun. May have to add some spider webs.

 

Lots to be thankful for and my top 5 are:

 

1. No more fan in the living room

2. The fall leaves are showing up

3. Crisp mornings and cool nights

4. Time to think and put life into perspective

5. More art ideas completed and new projects started

Life and Art

 

It has been a while since my last posting. Life has taken me on a journey that I had not planned but has taught me a lot about who I am and what I can do. I am glad to get back to some of the things I love and this piece is a current SWAP I was able to participate in at Paper Traders Group

This SWAP was a Rusted Autumn Tin. I need to be better about taking pictures along the creation. However, there is tutorial on the group page on how to rust tin. It was a fun to learn. This is an Altoids tin lid. Once the rusting was done; I added in the objects for an autumn theme. The pumpkin and leaves are from a Starbucks VIA coffee package for the pumpkin spice. It was the perfect little item for this piece. I also made paper rolls to fill in the bottom. I layered buttons to add a little vintage touch. So the piece could be hung up, I used the fun yarn that has little tuffs of thread that looks like leaves.

It is nice to be creating again. Hope that I can reconnect with people and wishing all a wonderful weekend.