Learning About Layers

I have joined an amazing video workshop given by Julie Prichard of The Land Of Lost Luggage. It's called Layer Love. This experience is a lot of fun because my friend Kathy No Blog has joined me. We are painting side by side from across the US via iphone pics!!Yeah, we're cool like that.teehee. Julie has other workshops available, but I hopped on this one because she will not be taking new students for this class after May 31. Check out all her workshop offerings, I have only just begun, I'm coveting the Complex Collage one for next time.
I'm not going to go into written detail (cuz Julie would, like, so kick my ass) here, just going to show you a picture trail of my steps in my first attempt:

The last two are the finished painting in case you were wondering. I'm calling it finished. Now I've shown these photos to several people and have asked which orientation they like best. I'm not telling you what I like until you tell me what you like. well? I'm waiting......

Here is the second project:

This one is not done, but I don't have time to add the finishing steps before I go to Va TOMORROW!!! Why am I still blogging when I have no clean socks and I cant find the pair of jeans that I can zip up???? xoSusan

NOWHERE NEAR READY!!!!

eeeeeek! I am supposed to be packing clothes and art supplies not blogging! But it's still early and I have trades to show and tell!! I decided to use the monoprints from Michelle Ward's Crusade #39 for trades at Art and Soul. I've put 50 little packages together :





Thats my business card on the right, heart photo corners and a written "pleased to meet you" type of blurb. I am going to give these out to my classmates and if there are any left over, trade in the bar!!! xoSusan

Embellishing the Monoprints

I had the fantastic idea to use the mono prints from my last post as trades for Art and Soul. The good ones anyway!! Out of 150 I came up with 60 that are good enough to Represent. Ya feel me?? teehee. 10 I am in love with and can't part with, and the remaining 50 I will take with me to trade. I am having a ball embellishing and "filling them out" using contrasting colors, over stamping, gel pens and what not. I am actually going to give them to each classmate in Misty's class and if there are any left over, I'll trade them out. I am hoping Misty will not have more than 50 artists in the class! This is a gonzo trip for me, driving down Friday, Misty's Saturday and Sunday class with Vendor night in between and home on Monday.

These are ready to go. I'm going to present these as tip-ins for altered books or journals. I'm going to write a little intro note and enclose with my bizness card which I am waiting for Moo.com to deliver post haste. I'll post more prints as I finish them, nothing like taking it down to the wire, no?? I've been in a serious Funk and NOT the good kind of Gettin' Down With My Bad Self Kind of FUNK, since the crash and burn of my love life. I guess I was absent the day they taught Getting Along With Others. sigh. xoSusan

GPP Street Team Crusade #39

It's that time again!! Time to Get Our Crusade On!! This month Michelle Ward's Crusade #39,"Pulling Prints", was a total and complete blast. This is my virgin attempt at monoprinting. The process is very easy, very satisfying and the results make the paint on your wine glass worth it. Oh, was that just me?? teehee. I started out with this paper I just had to save from when my car was in the shop. I save ALL paper. At least THIS TIME, something I saved came in handy! Michelle tells us to use acetate or tyvek for the shape cut outs. Since this paper is slick and waxy on the one side I'm going to give it a go.

I decided to use the fluers-de-lys stamp (here on to be known as FDL, ok), my brand new flaming heart stamp, and a flower stamp. Used Stazon ink and cut them out.

Part of the fun for me was buying this glass cutting board, only $8 at Wal-mart. I didn't end up using the glove.

I scoffed at Michelle when she recommends buying a 500 pack of unlined index cards to pull your prints. I scoffed, why would I need 500, I'll Never Use Them Up!! WRONG. I pulled 200 already. You can keep track because there are 5 seperately wrapped packs of 100 cards inside the 500 pack. I take back my scoff. teehee.

So, I picked 2 colors that I like but haven't used lately and smeared them on the glass.

Here is the first batch. They are not all beauties, but I can work with that! I used too much paint at first.

Here I am pulling up the flower to run a second print. See Michelle's wonderful instructions for more detail. I was able to pull about 20 prints using the stamps out of the floormat paper, so I'm glad I made 3 of each. As the paper gets more saturated with paint, the cut out sticks to the print. I'm going to use these cut outs as collage elements.

These are prints I'm happier with, less paint and more character!

Some cool second pulls:

Another look at the second pulls:

Next two are closeups of second pulls:

Switched colors here. Had to buy this brayer too. Love it, wonderful paint spreader. I painted most of the backs of the prints too. I tried to make the backs look like plaid on a silk scarf. Oh well, it's good to have goals, right? teehee.

Here I'm pulling the print and you can see the FDL cut out.

And here are the FDL print's. I am quite pleased with these. The lower right hand corner was accomplished by following Michelle's advanced instructions. I get a Gold Star for that one!!

OMG!! How did the next pic get here??? These are the sucky rejects. But you know darn well I'm going to pick them up off the floor and overstamp them, baby them and turn these ugly ducklings into swans. teehee.

These have over stamping and I love the colors!!

These next 2 pics utilize masks from Tim Holz. I had medium success. I was going for spooky with wintry skies but I instead I channelled my inner third grader and this is what happened. sigh. You know these look like a third grader made them. I hate my inner third grader, she is chubby and both her arms are broke. Plus she called her teacher a Snot (which she deserved) and got in BIG trouble. But I digress, as usual.

These are done using the stenciling method. Very pleased with these, and Love this color palette.

This is next pic is blurry, but see that little scrap of paper on the top heart? kind of light in color? that just ended up there, I did not do that. And what a cool effect it made. It looks like the heart has a heart on the prints. Hey, I can't make this stuff up. And here is my biggest truth, when I create, THE BEST STUFF I MAKE IS ALWAYS A MISTAKE. Seriously, it's the unintentional that is always the miracle. That's why I am not a "REAL" Artist. A real artist sits down and puts stuff together. And it looks like something good. A not so Real Artist waits until serendipity hits and the planets align and something occurs by accident that looks awesome.


Here is the plethora of prints I pulled using hearts. This obsession is all Michelle's fault. She is totally an enabler.

Here are some of my favs.

I love the heart in the middle of Anarchy.

See that little piece of paper??? isn't it cool??? Oh, wait, I should have lied and said I did that on purpose. oh well, too late now.

This one I overstamped with the rubber stamp.


Then I went all Fiesta with colors and abstract shapes.

Okay, I'm done. I'm exhausted and slap happy and have no idea what I've written.

See the purple paint on the lip of the glass??? xoSusan

And the Award Goes To....

Aw, Shucks, Marianne, you shouldn't have, but I'm honored that you did:

Here are the details of this award copied from Marianne's Art Blog, my words in color:

I give this with no expectations that you’ll display the award or pass it on. Please don’t feel in any way obliged to do so. Just know that I love your blog and want to recommend it to anyone who might not have come across you before now!

If you do want to play along, here are the ‘rules’ – but just do what feels right:

1.Thank the person who gave you the award.

2.Pass this award along to (insert your # of choice here!! teehee, I'm choosing 5) bloggers you’ve recently discovered and whom you think are fantastic!

3.Contact the bloggers you’ve picked and let them know about the award.

4.Share seven things about yourself.

Ok, #1 rule: Thank you Marianne!! I love your art and photography and your generosity of knowledge and caulk!

Now for rule #2: Here are 5 amazing blogs that I have recently discovered, ADORE, and just have been too busy (lazy, really) to add them to my blog roll.

Cinnamon Pink Crusade-love this blog for wonderful collage and journal pages

Natural Dye Journal-I do not sew, repeat, I do not sew. Therefore I covet this artist's work. Her fabric journal covers are wonderful.

Atriphy The Heart-simply delicious journal pages

Fido Art-ok, I'm cheating a little here. Fido Art is not new to me, I stalk Danny's flickr site quite regularly. However his blog is relatively new to me, so I get off on a technicality. so there. teehee.

The Land Of Lost Luggage-Holy Hell Batman, just check this collage artist out. My friend Kathy, turned me on to this blog artist. We are going to sign up for one of her classes. Can't wait!!!

Rule #3, I just sent out 5 very scarey stalker type emails letting the above bloggers know they have been forwarded an award from an unknown admirer. creepy, no? teehee

Rule #4, Share 7 things about yourself.

1. The Blues is My Religion

2. My daughter weighed less than the Perdue Oven Stuffer Roaster I cooked the day before she was born. (Roaster 6 1/2 pounds, Samantha 5 pounds)

3. I get sensory overload while shopping for everything except groceries. If there are too many choices I get anxious. I still shop, but a lot of times I go home and say "I should have gotten this, that, or the other, but I was too overwhelmed to focus and figure out what I really wanted

4. I never know where anything is in my house

5. I love Captain Morgans Spiced Rum

6. I love to watch Previews or Trailers before a movie, I NEVER fast forward thru them

7. I have no idea how to use most of the features on my iphone. I have the most underutilized iphone in the World

And there you have it. xoSusan