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Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Random Free Fonts

I recently took a doodling class online. A reasonable price it was but I have been looking for something that will help me with various styles. Well, today, while looking at my google front page, and noticing I have random free fonts that show up everyday on my front page, why don't I grab marker and paper, and practice the ones that show up every day. There are about five or six of them. Can you imagine how many fonts I can learn how to do, and find which ones I love the most to incorporate into my journaling or art work. Try it...random free fonts on google.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Creative Entrepreneurs and Right Brain Business Plan

Do you feel a bit dry? A bit incomplete with what you are doing? Need a bit of refreshing up and a different outlook on things. Creative Entrepreneurs and Right Brain Business Plan are two books out there on the market that can help with that.
I bought one in the bookstore and another on Amazon.
These two authors, ladies after my own heart-creative...they have gone out before me to learn and write about how I can be helped with my creative brain and integrate business and your creative self by asking many questions of yourself and journaling them along with your own creative prompts and drawings.
So, to you out there that need a lift, and you are a creative person, look up these books and read away. They are fun books also because they include your journaling and art techniques all into one.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Educating for Success and Contest

I have had so much fun lately, working on my life plan. I took all kinds of notes about myself and bought a poster board that I am going to enlarge the drawing and plan. Smack dab in the middle of the plan is my major life plan and goal for the future and that is to have an art gallery.

So, I wrote my business plan and typed it out, did a two part video with my son and sent it off today for the contest Rhea Perry designed. My video is on youtube.

Now I just have to wait patiently for over a week to find out who wins. There are three prizes: a $10,000.00, $1,000.00 and the third prize is a Kindle.

Maybe I can win. We will see and the best man, woman or family win!

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Cheap Gardening and spring

My site is called crystalscreations not just for art, but for household ideas, gardening ideas and so much more.

I have done gardening in the past and have spent way too much money and have not even received produce from plants because of the draught or over raining.

So, this year, seed planting in all types of containers, not anything fancy. In fact, you can take an egg, crack it, remove the top part, wash out the shell, fill it almost to the top with soil and plant a few seeds; put the seeds on the top of the soil and push down. You can add a pinch of soil on the top. Do this with an many seeds as you wish and as many eggs that you can afford. Put the eggs into
a container or zip lock bag and freeze if you don't need to use them right away.

Spray the top of the soil and put the eggs into the carton and place in a secure location, free of pets. Watch daily for sprouting.

Egg Carton Gardening and Basil Seeds



Using egg cartons with peat moss or soil is a great way to start your seeds.
Here, I poked holes into the bottom of the 12 egg openings and added the peat.
I added basil seeds to each section, sprayed the peat with a small water sprayer, printed B A S I L on the flap to the carton, covered it with seran wrap and put it on top of the frig where it is warm and the seeds with stay damp.

I just have to remember to check on them daily, not to overspray so it becomes moldy, and not to let it dry out so the seeds will not sprout.

Seeds and Gardening and SPRING

This is peat moss when water is added to it. I didn't want it to topple over in the dish.



It's growing

This is the "peat" or soil and the beginnings of it's growth with water added. Watch and see what happens.


Got a head start with seeds this week to prepare for spring gardening.
The Dollar Store had seeds already with a pot and "peat" moss which they call soil.
Here are some pictures with steps of getting ready for the next couple of months.
I figure, even if this is all I get done, I may have some tomatoes, peppers and basil.
Great for pesto!

Friday, March 11, 2011

HowTo's Making Candle Craft

Supplies:

1. candles-preferably white but I used pink and light yellow
2. music
3. cardboard
4. burlap
5. buttons
6. glue

Cut a strip of cardboard and wrap around candle and glue.
Cut a less wide strip of music and wrap around the cardboard.
Glue your buttons on top of the music.

You can cut music, cardboard, and burlap and make your layers different:
Wrap with burlap then music then buttons...
Wrap music, then a strip of burlap then buttons
Wrap cardboard, then burlap then buttons...

I even wrapped old keys with twin around cardboard on candles.
Why...I just love the look and so do other shabby chic decorators.

CandleCraft-shabby chic




I love this craft and want to make more.

Husky and Sheltie-My Ostara and Minimae




I just wanted to show you my sun bathing beauties.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Birds Love Them




I love birds. I do not know what this little bird was doing on the roof of my barn. I watched it through my lens of my camera just snuggling into the crack, and sit there with a worm.

Found rub-ons of birds and branches for my bare white bedroom walls. Rubbed them on, got a vase and some red colored branches from the yard, and made a little theme for the side table next to my bed. By this photo, you almost can't tell what is real and what is fake.

Marriage-God's Creation

HerFineClothing.blogspot.com

Go check out my other fun blog if you like different ideas and get inspired-especially with clothing styles.
http://herfineclothing.blogspot.com

Hands and Heart Teaching FREE videos



After feeling bad that I can't afford any art classes right now, I decided that I will take advantage of some of my favorite online artists right now that through their loving heart make videos that teach techniques for us to learn from. Why not take advantage of it I asked myself, so I did.

Steps were:
1. gesso watercolor paper.
2. After dry, I did various layers of acrylic paint and scraped the layers on.
3. Made my own spray paint by adding acrylic paint to water in cute little water
bottles and sprayed various layers on the paper.
4. Put a stencil down, and sprayed the stencil.
5. Took white acrylic paint and scraped it in places on the paper
6. REMEMBER! Let layers dry
7. Place shapes of papers down, and spray (you will have the results of various
shapes sprayed on your paper.
8. I then cut the paper into 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 rectangles, ready for ATC's
9. Like Hands and Heart, I selected one of my face stamps and stamped down
with antique brown ink the face.
10. From that point, I used peach, creme and white for the face.
11. Used watercolor pencils and graphtint pencils to draw and add shading.
12. When I felt like the painting was done enough, I then added a couple of small
stamps with ink.
13. Then I squirted three types of glitter to make it sparkly.

If you go to Hands and Heart, you will see the free videos which have not been removed yet, and you can learn and practice. Mine looks very different from the other ATC's that were posted, but that is fine. I learned alot about layers.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

HP to ACER

Long story, computer problems. Sound familiar?
1. Husbands computer went wonky.
2. My Canon Rebel went down.
3. Geek squad took the camera and sent it to Canon.
4. Canon called, computer faulty.
5. Time to pick a new camera. (remember, husbands computer wonky).
6. So, I decided to down size my camera and get a different version of camera and get another computer too for the same price as the Canon Rebel.
7. Then, I could give my husband my computer, and then I would have a new one along with a new camera.

O.K. then

8. three months later, my husband's computer (the one I gave him)went wonky too so it went into the shop.
9. I let him borrow my new one so he could get work done.

O.K. then

10. He accidentally spilled a cup of coffee on it and now that camera was down.
11. Ugh! Now what?
12. Went computer shopping, had no money, went to Staples, Best Buy, small computer store, and Walmart and did that for two days.
13. Went online to see reviews. Most reviews seemed the same about HP's and Dell's.
14. I have had Dell's and HP's, kids have had Gateway and Compact.

What to do???????

15. Not impressed with salespeople at stores. Waited almost 20 minutes in one store and still no one came over to help. Can you guess which store?
16. Picked up this ACER. I have 15 days to see if I like it. I'll let you know.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

France papers and bible scriptures

I absolutely love applying small bits and pieces of french papers from France and bible scriptures from old bibles. Recently, I found sites with christian artists that have some great ideas and concepts of implimenting scriptures into their paintings, drawings and collage. There is something about the texture of letters into your work. They can be subliminal or stand right out depending on what you are trying to achieve for the viewer.
I am a subliminal artist. I think so much is seen in the various layers of the collage. Print, words, old papers can be one of the first layers and gesso lightly painted over some of the word, or paint with white acrylic with a bit of water to lighten and make it translucent. It is fun looking at someones work, when you have to really look and make out what you see. If you don't speak french, you are not going to know what you are looking at, but the texture and blackness of the type adds to the surrounding shapes and colors. Bible Scriptures add a deep emotion and truth to the realist painting or abstract piece.

We have a great second hand book store in the area, and I have seen other books in various languages. I have added some german papers into my work, but now I think I would like to try the asian or hebrew types. I am going to try it. Will post when I am done.

Wife, Artist and Mother

What did I do today? Well, after a rough night last night of feeling like I was coming down with a flu again, and not knowing how would I feel this morning after having those types of random and ongoing dreams you have when you don't feel well, I was able to get up and accomplish wife duties, artsy things and motherly talks.

My computer is broken, all of our printers aren't working so I borrowed my hubbies computer while he was doing errands. I have been working on a life planning journal; an idea I got from a book called "Right Brain Business Plan". In my life plan, I have wifely things to do, motherly ideas and of course artist's ideas because that is who I am. I got to watch a video from Hands and Heart and practice some techniques for an ATC. I watched a Strathmore Painting free video for week two on more techniques for a journal. I watched videos from the author of Right Brain and gathered ideas for my future business ventures.

I cleaned my kitchen counter and everything on it. I folded a load of laundry and washed one. I cleaned up all of the garbage outdoors that animals got into and the garbage men did not take because it wasn't in the exact spot they wanted it and the snow mound held them back for reaching for the bags. Neighbor commented on the bags so I got out there and cleaned up.

Supper was made of left over corned beef and onions and potatoes. The good old food processor was used to slice up the corned beef in small pieces. I browned onions in a stick of butter and microwaved six potatoes. I cubed the potatoes, stuck them in the melted butter and onions and then added the corned beef. I fried them till everything was brown and heated.

Tried to load up a driver for a printer.

Picked up my son from work at night.

Now watching the news.

Had so much more I wanted to do. Maybe tomorrow. Hopefully I will feel better and then off to the train station to take my other son to the train in the morning.

Maybe even a new computer in the afternoon. Yea! Thank you husband for letting me borrow your computer.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

cloth paper and collage-SWAPPING

I absolutely love cloth paper and love making it.
Earlier on in this blog, I journaled about my friend Yolana and I, and how we made cloth paper and sent each other a piece to then journal and collage on. Then we sent each other a piece that was journaled on. It was great. Yes, my friend Yolana's dad was from the Czech Republic. She has such a great personality and such a creative one. She can make anything out of a cardboard box. So, when I offered her to make cloth paper with me (I got the idea from a book), she went out and bought the book too. I would like to do more projects with her but just have ran out of time lately with alot of hospitality and excitement with our church.

SWAPPING-If you want to make cloth paper and swap with me, let me know. I will do it with you, I have some free time ahead. I will even teach you how to make the cloth paper if you do not know how to. Take me up on it and we can be swapping cloth paper buddies

Strathmore Online Journaling Class Free

Check out Strathmore Online Journaling classes for free. I already took a free four video class from Pam Carriker and the second series is up now. All free, so take advantage of it. You don't have to use Strathmore paper if you can not find it where you live. Make a home-made journal out of paper you have. Try to make sure your paper is firm, stiff, thick...if not, try to paint on a piece of paper with white acrylic or gesso or some neutral color. Let dry well and use your blow dryer to dry it if you want to get it done quicker. Paint the other side of the paper too and let dry. You will now have a nice stiff piece of paper to work on. A big mistake is to work on thin paper. It rips believe me. Especially if you add water or watered down glue or if you draw and erase, you will have problems. Stick with thick paper.