Children Surrounded by Good Art

Children and Art

Do you have children? I have five and have always incorporated art into their education.

There are many galleries that you can visit like in Boston on Newbury Street. All free and you can spend as much time as you like visiting. Many old master's works including art of the 21st century.

Libraries are great too. Our library, even though they do not like me taking pictures of the architecture and small wonderful details of the interior (I had to get permission) are wonderful places to show your children photography and prints of masters for free.

Incorporating art into your children's education may be the very subject they need to relax them from tough school days. My children are used to me always pulling them into some store that has pottery or prints, museums, special printmaking shops, glass blowing factory, local libraries and even my town's art group.

Even though art may not be their specialty, I will tell you that they use art in alot that they do.

Seth works on the Dark Jedi Brotherhood online and creates graphic figures along with working on our family business using a photoshop program. Luke, who graduated from college this spring, called me one day while finishing up a final project in a required art course, asked me various questions on techniques and supplies. We had an awesome conversation about art and Picasso which is his "favorite" artist. (I never knew that:) Lexin pulls out her drawing pad and draws clothing illustrations. Josiah works on his photography photoediting it and is creating his own personal portfolio. I havn't talked to Adam much about his liking of art because he is serving in the Air Force in South Korea.

Perhaps when they are even older, they will do the same for their children as I have.

Black Acrylic

Also, you can mix your black acrylic with your white gesso. Do this slowly though so that you get the black you want. Remember, when you add black to white you get grey, so I don't want to see you disappointed when you are not getting the black gesso you want. You will need quite a bit of black acrylic paint. This is a money saver and a time saver so you don't have to run out to the store when you really want to paint.

Keep a running list nearby of the art supplies you need. Sign up for all of the craft stores nearby, so that you will automatically get the coupons online which will remind you of the sales and you can get what you need so much cheaper. Try to be patient if you can with waiting for the sales and coupons. Wouldn't you rather pay $6.00 for a bottle of gesso than $12.00. Your money adds up and you can get another product from the money you saved.

GESSO-Black Vs Grey Vs White

You know, if you don't have black gesso at home, don't go out running for it at the store unless you have a coupon from one of the stores. Use your white gesso, paint your surface, let it dry, then paint or sponge over it with black acrylic paint.

I have used grey gesso to make my surface a neutral color more or less before I painted my scene on it. I still like white gesso the best. If I want texture to the gesso, sponge it, or stamp into it with a stamp pad. Run a fork through it, use brillo and rub lightly, use a credit card or gift card (used) and run over the gesso to create a swirl pattern.

I blow dry my gesso slowly and on a medium heat. It really needs to be dry first before painting on it to keep the bumps and texture that you want.

Take a Peek

Peek into places like my red barn, find how else you can take photos, what other locations to take pictures of the same item or building or person.

Think unequally, different, where would people not look to take a picture, and try to go there if it is legal of course:) Do not invade someones privacy please.

I need to learn more about glare with windows, (I had a camera that automatically got rid of glare from glass), but this camera does not do it. I was more interested in capturing what I could see through the window; the "idea" of the photo was my main interest not necessarily the quality of picture but that wouldn't hurt if I get how to set my camera right. I have the Canon Rebel (I can't think of the model) and I was playing with all of the settings yesterday. Upteen million it seems like.

Anyway, I love looking through doorways, windows, spaces between buildings, gates, fence openings…

Then I snap the picture.

When taking pictures of the red barn in Rockport, I found that the building was not conveniently placed for some of the shots I wanted. Perhaps I liked the color of the buildings, or the bushes and scenery around, but when I went to take the shot, the red barn was cut off. It would not have mattered if I had a different lense. I don't know what building was built first, the red barn or the house I was standing in front of. I tried anyway. It is fun to try.

I can always do a painting where I see the red barn in between the buildings just with the right proportions if I want to. It is my painting, right?:)

Sneak A Peek of My Sneak Peeks

ARTISTS

We as artists collectively need to keep our eyes opened, our intuition opened, our feelings opened, keep our perseptions open, and paint, drawing, sketch, collage, build, what is in our hearts. But, look closely at what you are going to work on.

What I realized this week when I was at Rockport, was all of the many textures, patterns, line, perspectives were right in front of me including color, the values, houses, whether they were complimentary or colors next to each other on the color wheel.

Look closely and see the texture of rope compared to cement, to wood, to metal, to glass, pavement, grass, flowers, animals, peoples skin. Imagine looking at all of this through a magnifier. There would be textures that were similar and textures that were different.

Work these ideas into your drawings and paintings. When working on a collage, think of texture when cutting out images from magazines, newspapers, books, pictures, and work those textures into the art piece.

As artists, we have every imagineable thing opened to us in the art world.

Enjoy it.

Pattern

squares, rectangles, diamonds, circles...

TEXTURE

Bricks, fishermen's net, flowers, buoys, wood, cement, hard ground, grass, paint chippping...

Sketchcrawl.com

I just found out about a really cool idea. It is called Sketchcrawl. Sketchcrawl is a group of artists-age-children-adult, you do not have to be professional, can be an amateur, and you meet in a group in a city and draw all day.

October 16, 2010 is the date held for the sketchcrawl. Artists get together all over the world-France, Italy, Spain, England, Japan and various states in the US.

I found on in Cambridge Massachusetts where the Sketchcrawl is going to be held this year. So what I can do now that I have heard about this is contact the man that is heading this event off. I could also hold a sketchcrawl in a different location.

You can post the sketchcrawl on line to get people to come to your location and have a sign-up. You can invite friends, artists, children and family. Anyone who would like to attend can. You bring your sketchpad, drawingpad, ink, watercolors, pencils and sit and draw what is around you, the people, the scenery, different objects, cars, bicycles.

It looks like alot of fun. Sketchcrawl.com asks that you have your sketchcrawl on the same date as everyone around the world will be doing it then.

After that date is over, you can upload your pictures of the sketchcrawl online so others can see what was done that day.

The positives of this I read was the meeting of different people, interested in the same thing as you-drawing.

In Cambridge, the drawing goes on in all various pubs. In other areas of the world, people are drawing buildings, streets, other people in parks or walking, eating, drinking and you may even see your own portrait hidden in someones sketch pads (sketch books).

If you are on vacation at that time in another country, perhaps you could check out the area, sign up and draw with others. Or perhaps, you want to take a vacation and fly to one of these sites. Great idea!

On the other side, on behalf of my Dad who passed away three years ago from cancer, October 16th is his birthday.

Patterns in Art on My Vacation to Rockport

I noticed as I was taking some shots on my vacation in Rockport, were the repeated patterns I saw in store windows, on the side of buildings or just lobster traps piled on top of one another. Repeating patterns I somehow identify with. The objects carry my eyes from left to right, or right to left. If there is an object that repeats going off to the horizon line, that draws my eye away from the foreground to the background. Repeated patterns in art draw my eye to the movement of the pieces rather than necessarily knowing what the objects are. Then my eyes draw in closer to discuss what the objects are representing. In the window of Blue Lantern, the owner has various little fairies in each windowpane to show the customer the variety of sourvenirs, but my eye caught the colors and the number of these little dolls. There were more in other windows also.

The bright yellow lobsta traps attracted me for the brightness and value of color along with the texture of the metal and rust. Light was filtering through the holes of the traps.

The photo of the red barn is a bit faded please pardon that, but I wanted you to see the small buoeys hanging on the side of the building, repeating their primary colors and stripes.

The sea shell guy has his star fish as the focal point to his store front. I stole his idea and tacked my star fish with ribbon and fancy tacks into a window that I am hanging.

See if you can incorporate take an object, and repeat it in a collage, or painting.

Art Patterns Repeated

Plein Air in Rockport

i give the artist below alot of credit for doing an oil painting plein air. He had his jeep right next to his easel, and he did not seem to care that I was taking his picture. He seemed to be pretty concentrated.

His style work was impressionistic I thought. No, I did not talk to him. I was kind of quiet myself yesterday, and just wanted to shoot pictures. So I got him a few times.

This building is so popular.

I have wondered why certain places are like movie stars. They attract everyone. I have people from all countries visiting here. It is a small quaint town.

At Christmas time they have a wonderful live nativity scene and a parade of sorts, with Christmas music playing from the church nearby, and Mary, Joseph, baby, sheperds, and animals come strolling slowly up the street. People huddled up on the sidewalks watching this event are singing Christmas Carols. It was something I am so greatful to have experienced. Then in the summer, you have tons of tourists strolling, buying little gifts, bebopping in and out of the galleries.

Photographs of the Red Barn Rockport

I don't mean to bore you. The reason I took so many shots was because I wanted to show you how different this building can be far away, up close, on a cloudy day, blustery day. I so want to capture it during the dead of winter. I have the Nebble Light house in the winter storm months.

Before painting, or drawing, taking alot of pictures of what you want to work on. You may find that a different angle of something may make it the most interesting piece of art. Everyone usually takes this picture the same way. I found a couple of photographers sneaking and doing some photography in areas I have not seen people.

That is what I love about photography, trying to get somewhere, where no one has tried or gone to sneak the picture I love looking through windows, screens, porch rails, between houses to get a photo. None of these photos of the red barn between buildings came out well, but give you and myself a different perspective of one thing. So, if you are going to draw something with this unusual perspective, practice and make sure you have your horizontal line where you want it in your drawing. The placement of your main object has to be just right with the horizontal line. That is where we artists make our first mistakes.

I have gone to Rockport so often, that I thought I should get to really know it with the eye of the camera!

Weather-Crazy and Wild in Rockport

Red Barn-Rockport

Red Barn in Rockport. One of the most famous places to photograph.

Artist Working on Oil Painting

Yesterday, for vacation (we are doing day trips), we went to Rockport to sit on the beach, shop, and work on my photography. When we got to the beach, it was pretty much high tide, so my husband grabbed his chair with his Glen Beck book, I continued on to the shops with my kids and lost them along the way to a coffee shop and myself to the asian store. The stores in Rockport begin to have their fall sales and boy can you find great gifts for Christmas because everything is %50 off or better. The shops are not busy, no crowds and unique items.

As I was wondering from shop to shop, to see what the sales were, and if there was anything interesting and worth purchasing for a summer souvenier I worked my way on down to the dock. There, a man was working on what I believed to be an oil painting, and I snagged him in some pictures. He was painting the most beautiful place in photography. I would love to know how many amateur and professional photographers along with painters and drawers have done this. Sometimes, I just wish they would do an art show, and have people come that have pieces of their work on this building. People travel from all over the world to come here. Rockport along with Gloucester and Kennybunk are favorites for that real beach feel and to work it into your home decor if you like beachy type of nic nacs.

I did find a scarf, head band and hair clip in Blue Lantern. I have befriended the man and woman in the store. We do not speak much to each other because I do not speak their language, but they say hello, and I say thank you and that is about it, but I found a pair of earrings a couple of years ago that I have gotten many opinions about them and the Blue Lantern is where I bought them.

So I had a fun art day, working on my photography, and getting clothing ideas.

Photo Light Box

Remember that bureau you have next to the cool desk that is on roller wheels, well......take one or two of the drawers out of it and create a shelf in the bureau. Paint the bureau black along with the shelf, and you now have a lightbox to place your still lifes in it or items you want to sell on Ebay, and set up your tripod, your camera on your tripod, maybe another photo light near by to bounce the light properly, and take your shots. So now, you have another use of your bureau and if you get sick of the photo light box idea, you can put nic nacs or art books, magazines or small pieces of art work on the shelf inside the bureau!

Tables for Art, Sewing, Drafting, Architecture or Kitchen

Today, while in Boston, I was glancing through a book that gave information on how to design your sewing room. Very much like an art studio (art room), I went through it, always interested in organizing my art studio. Being a room right in between rooms in my house; my art studio was a dining room, then it was a sitting room, now it is my art room. To the right of my art studio is the dining room now, and to the left is the kitchen. My studio has complete open doorways, so there are no walls or should I say partial door ways with about 12 inches build out from the doorway. The other two walls have windows in the middle of the walls. It feels like everything lines the edges of the walls and one bureau sticks out. Please don't think I am complaining or unhappy. I am doing much better than a year ago, not working on much art at all. Always contemplating a spot to work in, how to fix it up, what colors to paint the walls, (what walls basically) and making as most space as I can. I don't want to go and get rid of the two bureaus I have because I did buy them, but I think they may be too long, one being over 4 feet long and the other five feet long. I have two tall white tiers int he room also which have glass shelves and cabinets underneath each tier. I have my fabric books and ephemera in baskets on each shelf. I feel still unsure if I am using my space the best way. Having my supplies out helps me in creating, using all of the supplies.

I may or may not do this, and I showed my daughter also who talks about becoming an architect:

Purchase an old desk, perhaps two drawers to the left
and two drawers to the right, and a top long drawer.
Turn the bureau upside down (this may need another person)
Buy four roller wheels and screw them into the legs of the desk.
Purchase a piece of ply wood the size of the bottom of the desk
and nail the plywood in all around the desk bottom or staple
with a heavy duty staple gun.
Turn the desk back over, and now you can roll it. The ply-
wood you put on the bottom made a shelf so that you can store
your larger canvases, drawing pads and or finished art work
in between the drawers (this is where you would put your legs.
Measure the top of the desk and have a piece of glass cut for it.
Select favorite hooks of all sorts and screw them into the sides
of the desk so that you can hang up your palette, your rules etc.

The reason I showed my daugher this is because it is a great invention for college. Most of the time, the college will supply you your desk, but perhaps you could talk to your RA or dormmother and see if you can have the college desk removed, and roll your right in. You can keep all of your art supplies or sewing all in and on one piece of furniture. Perhaps you could buy a tall and slender burea, put wheels on it also, and place it at the end of the desk. Place a great light on top of the burea, and one on your desk. You need good lighting if you are doing design, drawing, or sewing.

Above is a quick sketch or drawing of what I saw in that particular book.

You can be very creative here for your personal style. Paint your desk the color you want, strip it of it's previous paint or stain, and restain. Put different handles on it if the ones there are not what you like.

Put a cutting board on top of the desk rather than a piece of glass if you want to use this desk for you kitchen, and place your cookie sheets where you would have put your canvas or drawing pads. This type of desk can be used for many rooms in your home.

Instead of putting, canvas, drawing pads and art work in between the drawers, you can put your fabric books or your second sewing machine there. Place your only sewing machine there when not in use and use the top of the desk for other reasons.

Wall paper books go great in between too if you are a collage artist.

Black chaulkboard paint is wonderful to paint the sides of the desk if you want to write yourself notes.

The list of ideas goes on and on!

Church yard sale-no ART

Church yard sale here I go. Hope to sell everything. No, there is no art work that I did in it! Only house junk.

Troops and September 11- Loved Ones

I just want to say thank you to all of the troops. We love all of you and are greatful~!
Also, all of you that lost loved ones in September 11 at ground zero, I will never forget!

Acrylic Paint on Wax paper, purple cardstock, lime green cardstock

Collage-Waxed Paper

Here is a new little piece I am working on today.

The wax paper has paint all over it from the yellow water painting I did the other day. I had it in my trash bin. "Hey" I thought, let me try this as a color experiment, rather than a wax paper and paint experiment. So, I gethered a few different colors of my card stock (kind of like color aid paper back in college) and placed different pieces of card stock on top of each other to see what colors worked and complimented each other. Purple and lime green, wow, different combo. I think I am into lime green lately! I just put some lime green sheers on layaway. I had already punched out inchies out of the purple paper so that when I placed it on top of the lime green, it showed like little windows. I then layed the wax paper down and I can see subtle hints of the purple and lime coming through the wax paper.

Next blog, what I decided and came up with to finish this little piece as I cut and place the pieces and teach a color lesson.

You can have your children do this art with you and see the differences. This was acrylic paint I was using and wax paper as my palette; cheap pallette by the way and you can just wrap it up and throw away (or use again:)

Candle Wax and paper towel

Wax-Candle Wax Example

This little piece that is almost camouflaged leaning against my wooded goose, is a new favorite.
I took a piece of cardstock, a piece of paper towel that had paints all over it. I first brayed two inks: black and distressed navy on the cardstock. I then put gel medium on the paper towel and ripped it and placed it on the cardstock. Then I used the breyer that had left over ink on it to rub the edges.

Now the famous step: you know that candle wax I told you about in the previous day blog, melt that, let it drip on your piece and then I used a rubber stamp to press into it. Yes, I know, I may have ruined my stamp. I just had to do it though to see if I would get much of an impression. I did not. I also used the edge of the candle to rub a bit in spots.

Lesson: Is to show you how you can even use candle wax as a layer and an integral part
of your collage process.

ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

Wake up on that Saturday morning to your kids asking you "What are we going to do today mommy?"

Take them to an art gallery or someones studio.

My husband and I love going to Rockport in Massachusetts. There was a printmaking gallery there. I befriended the older woman and was able to set up an appointment with her to have my children come in one day and use her supplies, paints, and heavy press printer under her supervision. She spent three hours with them.

To pay her back because she was quite old, my husband and I did a few errands in the gallery with her.

There have been times when Dan and I have been driving somewhere, and saw interesting galleries. Stop, because most of the time, the artists, if not overly busy, love showing their work, their skills, and their techniques. We again, stopped a printmaking gallery in Connecticut.

I have made an appointment with a glass blowing gallery. My children have attended my town's art group meetings. Enjoying the time with each child is a memory.

Luke, my second oldest son, called me over a year ago. He was taking art in college and wanted to talk to me about his class and his ideas for the final project. We had to have been on the phone for at least 1 1/2 hours. The topic brought us really close and I couldn't believe I was talking to my son about art. Art was not his favorite subject in homeschooling even though he was a very good drawer. Most of my kids were like that even though I am so passionate about art. When they have had to do art in a college class, or have had to create a graphic design on the computer for family business, it is then that I realize everything I have taught them as their "art teacher" has been accomplished and I just sit there and boast in my mind. I don't say a word:)

Wall Art Made by Your Children

Art by children is so special. My husband is a pastor, so almost every Sunday, we have Faith and Lily that bring us pictures to take home. I spoke with their mom Julie and asked about their drawings. She said she never knows who they are going to give their drawings to. Isn't it special that they would think of us to give to.

Arts and crafts for kids probably is the best gift along with instruments and sports equipment to give to children at holiday times and birthday times. I was an only child, my brothers were 13 and 16 years older than me so my mom and dad would buy me craft items and I would sit at my great grandmothers house on Saturday Night watching Lawrence Welk and doing my punch yard project,or drawing cartoons. I honestly believe what you have around your children will build interests in them.

If you yourself gets an art idea, do it with your children. Make their art and their crafts your wall art. Mount it on foam core, place it on the frig with a magnet, buy a clear frame from Christmas Tree Shop or the Dollar Store. When they do a new picture, put it in the frame and change it. You will constantly have new colors and ideas on your walls. You may not be able to keep everything your children do with the arts and crafts, but take a picture and put it in an album. I have homeschooled my children and can not possibly keep every paper, drawing and craft, so I would take pictures of them holding their piece. Make an art portfolio with them and date the pieces. This will show a progression in their skills.

You can cover their bedrooms with wall art. Make a mural type affect and select frames that match their furniture or perhaps a frame that compliments their individualized art. Have fun with this.

Studio Lighting in your Art Room

I have two windows in my art studio, small windows that are set into the wall, so my lighting is very shadowed.

Lighting is one of the most important issues when doing your art work. An easel (of some sort) is very helpful, a table top of some sort, good brushes, pencils, gesso, gel medium, stamps, inks, and bees wax. Everything else, slowly comes, the collection of papers and ephemera. But lighting, if you don't have good lighting, you just can't see what you are doing. Your work becomes shadowed, and plays a role on your eyes.

If you want a really good light, look for iridescent light fixtures. AC Moore's, Michael's, JoeAnne's sell these great lights. Places like Big Lots, Building 19, Christmas Tree Shop or various warehouses get these lights at a much cheaper price, so keep a watch. Online coupons for AC Moore's, Michael's, JoeAnne's can be found by typing in the name of the store along with .com You can also go into the stores, give them your email address and you can receive the coupons directly to you to let you know when special sales are going on. I love the 50% coupon for a regular priced item. One time, I was blessed with money, and I went in everyday and bought an item that I wanted or needed. The coupons say one coupon per customer per day and sometimes the sales go on for a week.

The type of lights that I am talking about are approximately $60-$125.00 each. The coupon would come in handy. Do remember, the bulbs for these lights are approximately $35.00 each so find a coupon to pick up an extra light bulb.

I bought my light at a warehouse, and then have a floor lamp with a regular bulb, a table top lamp plugged in and a clip on light to one of the bureaus.

Home Depot also sells artistic type of lamps and the bulbs. There are bulbs that produce a day light appearance. It is good to have various types of light in your room.

The next type of light I am going to need is the one with the magnifying lens on top (haha).

Art Studio or Art Room

I have seen many peoples art studios or "art rooms" in their homes. I think it is one of my most favorite things to do and many artists to look at one anothers studios. There is something about looking at different supplies, mediums, paints, brushes, pencils, others art work, the way others organize their art supplies.

I have to clean and re-organize my room often because I am using everything, pulling out stencils, books, different brushes and never get to put them away. The other night I got up from the couch about 10:00 with inspiration. I painted, collaged, used bees wax and my brushes are still soaking in water. Have you ever noticed the terrible smell from brushes soaking in water for weeks? Terrible and not good for the brushes. I think every artist does it at one time or another. My children, when they see my brushes are in water for long periods of time, correct me and remind me what I taught them as an art teacher. Ooops, I feel ashamed!:) Little bits of papers and glitter on the rug and when I am working, I can't find a tool.

The other night, I wanted to poke holes, couldn't find my hole punch, so I used an awl with a hammer. I got a great hole that I wanted, but could I find the awl later, when I wanted to do it again. I try to put back my supplies as soon as I am done with them, but that gets tedious also, but where did that awl go? I still have not found it. Maybe I laid it down in an open drawer.

I do this time and time again with ink. I take the cover off, use the ink and then can't find where I put the cover. My surfaces are full with papers, and works that I am completing, that I end up working out of an opened drawer from the bureau I am working on. Then I move over to the next low bureau, open my ink drawer and begin working there, matching what color inks I want to use. By the way, I use black ink, white ink and distress ink the most. Then I enjoy spraying the vintage inks that look like coffee. They are pretty light in color depending what you are spraying it on. It is walnut ink.

I have tried many ways of organizing my stamps. I would love to have them out at all times, but I do not have anymore room, so I need to keep them in a drawer, with the picture of each stamp showing, and I have them placed in themes-Valentines,hearts, Flowers, Christmas, alphabet stamps, butterfly stamps, and my favorite "dragonflies", women's heads...I do have favorite stamps like the ones with writing on them.

I have purchased cheap picture photo albums and have put the clear stamps inside the pages, but that didn't work as well as I liked because they also become fat and take up alot of room.

My paints were put away in a bottom section of a white tiered cabinet. but I couldn't see them, and now that I picked up a shelving unit on top of the bureau, I have all of the paints on the shelves and I have been using them ever since. The problem, The shelves are a bit narrow, just a bit, and the bottles of paint fall off and I have to pick them up all of the time. So one way works better than another, but not perfect. I think this will be a passion of mine, to organize my art studio every few weeks. I will get it one of these days.

My room is about 10'x12", but I have so much furniture and just don't have the heart to get rid of my window seat or my electric fireplace which gives me heat in the winter. So, I have the two bureaus in an L shape with my chair on wheels, and I can go from bureau to bureau.

I have my blow dryer plugged in at all times to dry my work. The next thing is to plug my sewing machine in so that I can easily sew my work and not have it be inconvenient. I also would love my beads to be out. Unless I get a larger studio, I don't think that is going to happen.

I feel a bit closed in, but I am working on my artwork at least three times a week where before, when my studio was another small sitting room, I just did not use the room. Now I am.

Bees Wax versus Candle Wax or Paraffin

I have tried all three in my art work.

Bees wax, as yuo see in the Bird ATC in my previous blog, gives an awesome texture, along with a wonderful scent of honey. When doing a petit doll, you may not want it as drippy as I have it in my Bird ATC. In this particular artist trading card, I wanted that type of drippy, liquid look, hanging down from the card. In another type of collage, you may want it a light translucent type of affect where your image looks vintage. Bees wax is not a medium that I do not want to use in all of my work. Perhaps you do.

Candle wax or the type of wax that you use a little press with that seals an envelope can be used as an independent piece of color for your collage. Perhaps you want to make dots, drips...it does not smear overly well but try it!.

Paraffin wax is clearer than the others, and appears cloudy and white translucent type of color. The bees wax is a light yellow amber golden honey color.

I find that I like the beeswax better than the paraffin. When I could not find the bees wax in the store, and it was much too expensive for me to buy from a honey dealer, I bought a beaded white wax like a paraffin from the health food store. It melted just as quick as any other wax and I used it till I could find the beeswax. Then low and behold, I found it at Michael's for a very inexpensive price of $5.99 for a block which will last a long time.

I would love to do a huge large canvas painting, and then go to town with the beeswax. Can you imagine the scent from the painting as you approached it.

Well anyway, if you don't have the money to buy bees wax, use candle wax or those old crayons. You might get awesome texture!

I HAVE A NEW BLOG "HER FINE CLOTHING"

CrystalsCreations still keep going strong with a new blog-"Her Fine Clothing".

This new blog will will have photos, videos showing examples of women and what they wear, perhaps what they should wear and how to's. It really is a hot to blog. I am also working on an ebook, so keep watch for that and a website where I will be having a ball with better, bigger and greater information for you in your dress style!

Fashion seems to be a big thing with women, teens and girls. From the time my daughter was little, she had my shoes on, the lipstick smudged over her face and clips in her hair. Oh, how I remember those days as I say this reminiscing and barely crying.

So, go check out my new blog. It will be up and running with details and photos soon!

Bees Wax on Bird ATC

I just loaded on the bees wax trying to let it drip before dry!

Many layers here of ink, marker, maskin tape, distressed inks of various colors with stamp pad collection

ATC Two

ATC One

Techniques and Samples

Another Art Assignment using techniques from "The Technique Zone"e

Boy, did I find a great blog-the technique zone!

This artist is very giving. Go over to her site and give her a "hoot and hollar"!

I did two of her ideas for techniques tonight.

One was to take two ATC's and cover them with gesso. I chose to use grey gesso, this artist used white. Cover one card with the gesso, apply the other card on top, rub a bit and then separate. Let them dry well. After they are dried, rub some kind of ink or acrylic on top. I rubbed yellow ink on one and then white for the edges. The other I rubbed white ink, then black ink, then white ink, then black ink and got kind of an eerie look. The yellow one with white looks like leaves. Amazing the differences.

The next assignment I did was to take maskin tape, apply black ink to a stamp, which I chose a bird, rub the stamp with the black ink, then lay the maskin tape (non stick side down on the stamp and rub a bit, then remove tape and apply tape onto some substrate (surface). I again, selected an ATC, and applied many layers of maskin tape, inks, drew with black marker, and then bees wax. I also did the back of the card with remainders of maskin tape, gold ink, black lettering stamp pad.

So, I accomplished three examples of ATC's and I decided to poke holes in them, take a little silver ring, and attach them as ATC samples and reminders of how I did the techniques. I thought perhaps a sticky label could be applied to the backs and in small printing or type it, what the technique was. This is a great way to build up a collection of memory of "How To's"

Water-Creative Daily, Creative Monthly

For the site that I receive daily-Creative Daily, or Creative Monthly, the topic was water.

So, I have been on this idea to use very little colors in my work. The other day, I picked my favorite aqua against my dislikes of color in paintings-tan and olive green.

Today, I decided to do a painting with yellow. I really really like yellow and can actually wear it as a color also. I painted my canvas paper with grey gesso, creating a more serene look than white gesso. Then, I took plain yellow acrylic, white acrylic and the grey gesso, and kept mixing different variations of yellow. I used a bit of yellow and alot of white and also, alot of grey and a little yellow, and then kept adding white and yellow to all of the different puddles of paint. I did a sunset on the horizon line with the ocean and beach in the foreground. I know the perspective is off, but I wanted to paint water in yellow rather than blues, greens and purples.

Creative Everyday-Water

Water, Ocean, Painting with different colors

I am going to be posting a small painting/collage of water, a creative daily post. I am not going to use the colors that you would normally be seeing for water though. I hope it will look like water though, oh so what if it doesn't right? It will be my imaginary water.

Definitions of Transparent, Opalescent, Iridescent, and Opaque

Transparent: the quality of being clear and see through.

IRIDESCENT=====Having colors like the rainbow; exhibiting a play of changeable colors; nacreous; prismatic; as, iridescent glass. See iridescence. [1913 Webster]

OPALESCENT

• OPALESCENT (adjective)
The adjective OPALESCENT has 1 sense:

1. having a play of lustrous rainbow-like colors

Familiarity information: OPALESCENT used as an adjective is very rare.

• OPALESCENT (adjective)

Sense

Meaning:

Having a play of lustrous rainbow-like colors

Synonyms:

opalescent; opaline; pearlescent; iridescent; nacreous

Context examples:

an iridescent oil slick / nacreous (or pearlescent) clouds looking like mother-of-pearl / a milky opalescent (or opaline) luster

Similar:

bright (emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts)

rainbow colors; "an iridescent oil slick"; "nacreous (or pearlescent) clouds looking like mother-of-pearl"; "a milky opalescent (or opaline) luster

What does Opaque mean?

Answer

Light cannot go through the object.

Hopefully this will help some of us that forget these terms when we are talking about someone elses art work or when we are working on our own piece.

Suzi Blu and the ladies in Chat Room

Today, I had an opportunity to talk to Suzi Blu a bit through the chat room along with other ladies writing in or talking via different methods like skype etc.

I was all excited hoping that everyone would be talking art, but I did not find that that is what was happening. There were many women writing and mostly telling where they were from in which I did also and just saying hi to one another.

I had so many questions I wanted to ask Suzi Blu. I asked her about what her next mermaid was going to be like and what would it be wearing. I asked her where she got her inspirations to make up her videos. I asked her how to incorporate her new stamps that she has designed. I also mentioned about my blog and my freebies, and she said don't worry about the freebies or the blog, but just let people know who I am as a person. Well, I don't want to give up this blog first of all because I have had over 260 views in 17 days which I am thrilled about. Only three comments, so I really wish you would comment. I would like people to get to know more about my art, what I think when I am doing it and perhaps even perhaps want to purchase a piece or a copy.

I am a stay at home mom for over 25 years. Homeschooling has been the way for my children's education. I have had fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue since I was fifteen years old. I met and married a man who I thought would love me forever and he did not, so I because a single mom after 20 years of marriage. I was divorced after 3 1/2 years of singleness and remarried a really wonderful man. Being a christian, I read and study the bible, teach women and their daughters, write ebooks, blogs, garden, taking a class herbmentor.com, and my favorite thing to do amidst reading the word, church, family, gardening, walking, the outdoors and beach is MIXED MEDIA COLLAGE! Oh, it combines art, my collection of junk, antiquing, talking to people, history and so much more that let's out my creativity and things I didn't even know were inside my head!

Coffee and Tea Staining and Aging Fabric for Fabric Journals o Primitiver Dolls

I recently have seen a new stain formula combining coffee and tea to make your fabric journals or your handmade dolls look shabby, stained, grungy, antiqued, vintage and quite aged.

Mix tea already brewed, instant coffee, cinnamon, vanilla (a tad) and let fabric sit for a bit. I have found that cotton, or muslin absorbs the color where a polyester or acrylic type fabric does not. (You can buy various degrees of cream or tan colored cotton or muslin). It resists the color. Do not rinse your fabric because the new color will wash out. Let it sit in the fibers of the fabric, and lightly squeeze the fabric, lie it down on an old towel to dry. You can also use a hair dryer or your dryer to remove the excess moisture or hang it up on a line with something underneath if it drips. I would stain my fabric first before cutting out the doll patterns.

Various teas like raspberry or blueberry tea have a different pigment and can make the fabric a bit pink tinged or purplish tinged.

After you make your doll or book, put some coffee grounds into your matte medium to paint over it in places leaving a texture, a coffee scent and a matte covering for the fabric.

So now get off to those primitive dolls and aged old fabric journals.

New Hampshire-Winnipesaukee our Mini Vacation

I have been sick for a couple of days, migraines, and I have a terrible case of poison sumac. Not knowing if I was going to be able to do anything for the weekend being Labor day weekend, and having to cancel getting together with best of friends, my husband and I took a ride where I was able to rest in the van and look at the sites. The weather was wonderful, and we got to just sit on a bench for awhile and rest. We got stuck in traffic for 1 1/2 so I was glad I had my Prims Somerset Magazine. I looked at that till I could see no more and rested the way home.

I wanted to take pictures to share with you all and I got my camera out at a little dock my husband and I stop at every year, went to take a picture, and realized "my memory card is back home in the computer". Oh well, no pictures this time around.

I was able to find a couple of great deals for Christmas presents at a little shop that has sales for the end of the season. Not great discounts yet, but if we go up north for the turning of the leaves, I will probably stop in there again. Today was 50% of some things and 25% off of other things.

So always keep in mind when you go on vacation during the change of the season, get your gifts. Less people and crowds and you can find some unique items. I did! And had a great mini one day vacation. Check out the East coast, the travel maps of New Hampshire, pick a place like Lake Winnipesaukee, watch the boats go up and down the harbour and wave at the people, check out the local restaurants, (we found on on the beach) and enjoy!