Inspired by Pinterest

It's happened again...I just have to make some new things I've seen on Pinterest.  

Such as these Kale chips! 

OH YUM!

Crispy, crunchy, healthy, yummy.

Here's a link to the the original post. 

Credit where credit is due....

The second inspiration didn't have any readable instructions...just a series of photos pinned. So, unfortunately, I can't give credit to whom it's due.

Here's the original "pin" (left) which summed itself up nicely.

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I used an ugly canvas I picked up at a garage sale...gessoed and tissue papered it before painting it green.

I thought the green left behind my leaves was a little boring so I went back with painted and retouched them. 

Looks pretty dumb on the shed door but I happened to have a nail there for the photo op.

Have you been inspired lately?

 

Card and canvas

One birthday card for a man... using some Citra Solv paper and Basic Grey packaging. The recipient is back in college get his second degree and is taking some very high level math courses. I thought the normal curve table page was fitting.

This canvas is now on it's third life. 

Every time I get tired of it I just spread some gesso over the top and start over. This time I added some modeling paste for texture and then some of my rusted lace fabric. I trimmed down an 8x10 print of digital art.

Experimen-Tea

So I did get inspired from sorting buttons. Not to actually used any of those buttons but by color. 

I painted a 12x12 deep edge canvas with several shades of yellow.  Then using a palette knife applied a bold wave of burgundy then some thin lines with the edge of the knife. 

I knew I wanted a circle...I love circles for some reason.  I knew I had a perfect piece of Citra Solv paper. I used gel medium to adhere it to the canvas. 

It' still needed something. I decided to try out beeswax over the top. I've always wanted to try it so why not right!

It wasn't as easy to spread as I thought so I decided to get out the heat gun to try to smooth things out a bit.

After several minutes of fussing with it ...melting,...cooling...melting some more...

I came up with my finished piece.

Or at least I think it's finished... This is where I struggle...not knowing when enough is enough.

I love that the paper that once looked slightly out of place is now firmly set into the painting..looking as if it is "one with the canvas".

Stop by Kimmie's to see what the Tea Tuesday gals are doing today....maybe you'll even see a teacup in a picture.  :)

Abstract Mixed-Media Painting

I've been working on this one for a couple of days. Dress makers pattern tissue was used to create texture. I laid it directly onto the wet gesso. Some random scraps of text from my scrap bucket were also used for interest. Those were attached using UHU twist & glue.

I used my fingers a lot on this painting. I just seem to have more control that way. I can feel the canvas and know how much paint is being applied. Even when I use the brush I often use my fingers to spread the paint. It gives a totally different effect.

I had no plan in mind...just let it happen. Besides if I decide I don't like it anymore....I'll just gesso over the whole thing and start again!

Quick little painting

I felt the urge to paint something. The blue and orange combo is something I'm loving a lot more lately.

The texture is dressmakers pattern paper randomly set into the still wet gesso. I love texture!

Mixed-media painting

I created this for my mother-in-law for a Mother's Day and birthday gift. They have been so helpful with taking the kids so often lately while we are dealing with the changes in my folks life.

Once again I've recycled an old painting that I wasn't completely happy with... I just poured the gesso on and started over. I think this is the 4th time I've used this same 18x24 canvas.

The lighting isn't the best for the photo but I wanted to document it before giving it to her.

Another tribute to Grandma

This is my very favorite photo of my Grandma.

I've used it many times in my art. As I age, I see myself reflected in her photo.

Last Chance....OWOH

Here's your last chance to comment on my OWOH giveaway post. Comments posted after 11:59 Central Standard Time will not be accepted. I will use a random number generator tomorrow to pick the winner. If I have not heard back from the winner in 2 days or if contact info was not left...I will run the random number generator again.

Good Luck!!!

One World-One Heart 2009

I am so excited to participate in this worldwide blog giveaway extravaganza. This is the 3rd year of the One World-One Heart campaign, but the first year I have taken part. The purpose of this event is to get people exploring others blogs and make new connections.


On Feb. 12, I will use a random number generator to choose the winner of this 4x4 mixed-media canvas.

You must leave a comment on THIS POST to be included in the giveaway. Please leave your email in the comment. You may want to post it as: blahblah at yaddayadda dot com This way it's more difficult for robot programs to pull emails for spam.

Be sure to check out the hundreds of other participant blogs from this list. Who knows, you might find someone really interesting and win something too!

I know that at least 2 of my art friends are also participating.

• PinkBirdStudio
• Altered Book Lover

Fixed it!!

I got some good advice on perspective and fixed my painting. (sorry the lighting is a little poor)

I had originally put the table in sort of wonky because my previous painting that also had a table always bugged me a bit as well. It appeared to be too flat like it was trying to climb up the wall. Now I know what's wrong with that one as well. Not sure if that one would be as easy to fix.

Finished painting

I finished up my painting this morning.

I still need work on perspective. The table is bugging me because it seems like it is tipped up too far.

Anyone have any ideas for me for perspective...should the angle be bigger or smaller to make the table look flat?

Starting a painting

Just thought I'd give a sneak peek at what I'm working on.

I haven't done any painting for quite some time.

There are lots of layers on this canvas...I just keep painting over the old with gesso and starting over. Talk about getting my money's worth out of this canvas!

Another flower

Lately I'm all about the flowers.
Not sure why but they seem to show up in everything I do.
I've also noticed that I'm using lots of geometric shapes.
Circles and squares mostly.

This is on a 8x8 deep edge canvas. The edges have torn book pages around them then were washed with the same green as the polka dots on the front.

There are several layers of paint and papers on the background that most likely show much better in real life than the scan. The flower is cut from pages I've been tearing from my altered scrapbook.

Flower canvas board

This canvas has had many different lives.

It started out as a sign for my boy's room which I never finished after it took an ugly turn.
I set it aside for a very long time.

Deciding to try to give it another life, I painted over his name only to have the texture accentuate the letters instead. Frustrated, I again set it aside.

After a few weeks, I covered the whole thing with sheet music and a couple of other papers then painted blue. Finally the letters were obscured.
Again it was set aside for a long time.



Today it became this.

I guess the lesson for me was to not give up. Eventually the canvas told me what it really wanted to be.

Gifts for a friend

I can finally reveal the full picture from the sneak peek I gave last week.

Theresa got her gifts in the mail and is very happy, so I'm happy too!

Chicken canvas

I made this 5x5 canvas piece for a friend that rescues chickens. Seriously!
She's giving me eggs so I figured I'd make her a little something in appreciation.

In case you can't read the fortune by the "C" is says Get off to a new start, come out of your shell. I thought it was mildly appropriate. :)
I hope she likes it!

Life's a Beach

I've been wanting to give our bathroom a real tropical feel instead of just the typical, boring shells it is now. I've been looking around for just the right artwork to make that happen. Then the thought struck... Why not try and paint a tropical scene myself?!?

This is my first landscape. I'm really happy with it, now I just need a frame.

Steamin' hot

At my dear hubby's prompting...I added steam to my coffee. It does look better.

Coffee anyone?

A while back I made this "Live, Laugh, Love" sign from a $2 garage sale frame and canvas. I was never satisfied with it. I ripped the flowers off and covered it with gesso. Today I decided that a sign for the kitchen night be fun instead.

I am so much happier about this one than the other.

Mixed-media canvas

Here's my latest mixed-media piece on an 8x8 gallery edge canvas. The cylindrical hanging bead is one of my handmade paper beads.

Thanks for looking!