Finished Painting - You are only as old as you feel.

Hello All,

I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed getting by teeth stuck into a portrait these last few weeks! It has been a challenge but I have loved it and it is always exciting to see them appearing in front of you as they take shape. Here is the final piece:

I wanted to keep the background quite simple but fun. When I came across the photograph I loved how despite initial appearances she is clearly young at heart, wearing her boppers. I hope I have managed to express this. I do believe it's true what they say... that you are only as old as you feel!

Bye for now xxx

New Painting

Hello All,

Autumn is well and truly here or actually already on its way out with the first snow fall the other day. Christmas adverts are back on the telly and Christmas music in the shops. This is my absolute favorite time of year. I love the colours of autumn and the lovely bright crisp cool days (before it gets miserable cold and wet) The build up to the Christmas season is one the best bits with cosy evenings under blankets and delicious food ahead.

Inspired by the colours I got stuck into another painting:

To me it feels like autumn leaves in the rain. I like how the texture softens into a wash of colour like the colour is draining out down the canvas.

I hope you like it! Bye for now xxx

New Painting

Hello All,

After completing my last painting I was inspired so much by the combination of textures and vivid colour that I dived straight into another and have managed to get it finished relatively quickly:

This one makes me feel like I am under the sea looking up to the surface at the light and pattern of the current. It is full of different textures and shimmery bits that catch the light:

Here is a detail of that texture. I didn't paint this as a commission, just for enjoyment but luckily it has sold nearly straight away.

I am now trying to focus on arranging some workshops as I haven't been able to fit them in now for almost a year. These are definitely top priority now! I have also been hired to deliver a children's autumn themed craft party next month so I have that to organise too.

I will be advertising my workshops via my website which you can link to from here so look out for them! 

Bye for now

xxxx

Experiments

Hello all,

A weekend full of eating and dancing.... fab! I had a lovely birthday with friends and family and some lovely presents including several arty ones (which I always look forward to!) Plus a yummy raspberry cake from my lovely sister.

Nick got my a new round gelli plate which I can't wait to get my hands on but haven't yet had the time. My mate got me some ecoline inks which I have wanted for a while. I briefly got them out the other day to have a play:

I haven't had much of a go but so far I love that they are so vivid. Looking forward to experimenting more!

I also, since I had very little time for anything else, decided to experiment with some metallic paint and glass bead texture gel on an index card. I was curious if the glass would catch the shine of the metallic.

It did really well and so far I am loving it! The yellow and orangey colours are also ecoline inks which I added just to see if they were vivid enough to show up. The white is some metallic shimmer ink which I dripped on. I was expecting it to come out darker than it did but hey ho that it why experimenting is so fun, you never quite know how it will turn out.  Not sure what to do with it next though?!

While I was in a metallicly mood I worked a tiny bit on my commission, adding a touch of silver into it:

I really love the shine on it now and it goes really well with the pattern. The silver plays well with the pink especially but also brings out the hints of blue.

I will let you know how my experiments turn out next time!

Bye for now xxx

Eco Bookbinding!

Hello All,

This week I set to making up a new journal for a friend of mine who asked if I would make one for her mum for mothers day. I do love making journals and haven't done one for a while so I enjoyed making this one. The journals I tend to make are eco journals, made from mostly recycled materials:

The cover is made from a cereal box and recycled paper. and the interior has a mixture of plain and graph paper pages. It is about A5 size.

Also this week I was experimenting on a mini canvas board with one of my stencils and texture pastes:

I thought I would share it as I am loving the gold! It is a bit of a pratice run for my next commision which is for one large and two small abstract canvasses. Hopefully going to be starting on them this week although this weekend I have my daughters 7th birthday party! wow can't believe she is going to be 7, that really has flown!

Bye for now! xxx

January Art Swap

Hello All,

Last month I took part in the art swap on Jennibelle's art community  The theme this time was to create an art journal page using a technique or medium that was new to you. I was partnered with Jackie from Denmark. I just had confirmation that she has received it so I can now show you what I sent:

I used the glass bead texture through a stencil (I only bought it in January so it is still very new to me.) then added colour over the top with inks and acrylics. Having found out Jackie loved horses I just had to add a horse and the quote seemed to represent the theme well. 

Jackie sent me:

The coloured background has been done with ecoline liquid water colours which I have been pondering about buying. Looking at this I might well do, they are lovely and vivid. The figures are done in gold leaf which I have never used myself so that might be something to look into as well! 

I have signed up for this months swap which is to make a heart from recyled or reclaimed materials.

Bye for now x x 

Finished piece

Hello All,

I have had a busy half term with the girls going here there and everywhere and so haven't had much time to be creative however I did manage to finish my latest canvas:

It is a very light pallet for me but I wanted to challenge myself in this way. I used pigment powders and mica shimmer powers to get the colour and glass bead texture gel on the circles to achieve the glistening effect. It feels quite spacey to me like a nebula or something. I loved playing with the different textures in this one.

I also did a quick 10 minute sketch this week, over an existing background as practice:

I have been doing so much abstract I felt I needed to do this quick sketch just to keep my hand in. It isn't perfect but not bad for 10 minutes :)

I have been commissioned for a set of three abstract canvasses so moving on to them now plus a commision for a journal. I also need to get a move on and arrange some workshops! Life seems quite hectic at the mo :Z

Bye for now x xx

Detail of new piece

Hello All!

I was working on my new canvas last night and using mica powders and brusho pigment powders to add depth and colour (with added shimmer) I really like these at the moment. You only need a tiny amount to create some great effects and they can be used in many different ways. They have a transparency to them which is great for layering. You can add them to different mediums such as modelling paste, gells, pva or water to get different results.

The texture is a combination of modelling paste, paper towels and glass bead texture paste.

More to follow...

Bye for now x x x

Finished piece and straight into a new one!

Hello All,

I finished my canvas! After much deliberation I decided to keep it abstract. I have decided I am obviously into an abstract phase. I am loving playing with colour and texture and seeing where it takes me and when browsing instagram/google etc. it is definitely abstract that has been inspiring me recently.

Here is the finished piece:

I have enjoyed getting my teeth into this one so much and was quite sad when I decided it was finished.... so I immediately started another!

I am really enjoying this one and especially like the glass bead texture gel I have added to the circles, which look fantastic with the light bouncing off them. Like a good book I can't wait to get back to it and see where it takes me next!

Bye for now! xx

Abstract or not?

Hello All,

I have been working a bit more on my new canvas and have now reached that point. You know the one I mean ..... do I carry on or leave it be? do I keep it abstract or add an image? Since last time I have blended in the patterns with inks and you can't tell but it is really shimmery and totally yummy. It reminds me of a stained glass window in the rain.
But is it done? If I add more will I ruin it? Do I add an image or more patterns and texture?

Answers on a postcard please?!?

Bye for now! xxx

New Canvas

Hello All!

This last week I started a new mixed media canvas. I have a pile of canvases in my cupboard that have been there ages, probably years and I thought it was about time I used them. 

I have used modelling paste, stencils, brusho pigment powders, acrylic, ink sprays, ink, gelatos and water colours ..... so far! Really enjoying the colours and textures in this one! The photos don't really show the shimmer that is in places.

I have reached a point now where I am unsure if I should add an image in or leave it abstract. At the moment I am leaning towards the latter as I love the colours and don't want to detract from that. I have it up in the kitchen, I look at it everytime I pass it, usually that helps me to decide. 

What is your vote, image or abstract?!?

Bye for now! xxx

Take a closer look

Hello All,

At the weekend I had a few hours with my eldest daughter and she decided she would like to do some art work with me. We set up on the kitchen table and I taught her how to use the geli plate. Many many prints later we moved on to working in our journals. I decided to use one the prints as a starting point for a background but after adding a few layers it just wasn't working. At that point my husband and youngest arrived back and our art session was abandoned.

Last night I went back to it and after adding many more layers I am finally happy with it.

You can't see much of the geli print anymore though it still inspired the colour choices.

I love getting those moments to share creativity with my daughters and I hope they will grow up loving it as much as I do. One things for sure though, I will be getting her her own geli plate!

Bye for now! xx

Lovely Jubley Colour

Hello All,

Having a play with texture and colour this week. I do love colour :)

This is glass bead texture gel with acrylics, brushos and ink. I am enjoying playing which these three mediums at the moment. They create lovely vivid, touchy feeling backgrounds. For me they require very little else to finish them so I am trying to keep the pieces simple and not too busy.

I have also started to experiment in this way on a larger scale, creating an abstract canvas piece. I will post some pictures of my progress this week,

Bye for now! xx

From experiments to finished pieces

Hello All,

Last night I decided to take my experiments with glass bead texture gel (from the other day) and make something of them.

I didn't want to do too much to this one cause I loved the colours already so I added the text and a little wire and flat bead embellishment.

To this one I added more brushos and some irredescent ink to add depth and shine. Then I added the pom pom, a slide casing with old maps and the text.

This spread is in my altered book and I love the background so much I decided the only thing to add was the word 'simple'.

I am really pleased with them all :) loving the glass bead gel! 

Bye for now! xxx

Experiments

Hello All!,

This weekend the family and I went on a shopping trip to Manchester. This was part of my Christmas present from my lovely husband. There is a little dance shop there and since I have been learning to jive he bought me my first proper dance shoes! (can't wait to try them out)
We also found a fantastic art supply shop called Fred aldous. It was huge! I could have spent all day in there, it was heaven! I bought some new brusho colours and some glass bead texture gel, which I have wanted to have a play with for ages.

As soon as we got home I couldn't wait to start experimenting and here is a little of what I created:

For this one I spread the gel out first and let it dry, then added gesso and acrylic paint over the top. I love the texture you get from the beads but you loose some of the shine from them.

Next I tried using the gel through a stencil and leaving it to dry and then adding brusho pigment powders over the top. I like this as you get the colour and the shine.

Finally I added the gel through a stencil on to a pre painted background. The photo doesn't really do this justice, you get fantastic colour, shine and texture with this technique. 

I really like all three and am really happy with the texture gel! It will definitely be making a frequent appearence. I think I will try mixing some colours directly into the gel next and see how that turns out.

Bye for now! xx

First ICAD of the year

Hello All,

Last night I sat down with a cuppa and had a play with my new stencil which is a crafters workshop, Rebekah Meier design  I really like this series of stencils, they produce some lovely results. I decided to do a quick ICAD (index card) with it:

It has a cheery feel to it but with the image of a wasp (I hate wasps, having stood in a nest at the age of 8!) I decided on the text "There is no need to be afraid" and overall it feels like it's a card to remind me to look at the bright side of things and not to worry too much! As well as the stencil I used acrylic paint, silver texture paste, irredescent blue ink, washi tape, patterned tissue paper, collage and text stamps.

I am going to try and do lots of ICADs this year and bind them into little journals. They are a great little format to work on.

Bye for now! xxxx

Muse

Hello All,

Just a quick one today of a page I finished last night in my littlest journal. Been back and forth with this page but think I am going to leave it quite simple.

The gold is done with gold texture paste through a crafters workshop stencil (Rosetta by Rebekah Meier, one of my favourites!) and the word is done with modelling paste. I found the image of the girl about to dive from a magazine and have wanted to use it for a while but it hasn't suited any page until now.

Hope you like it! Bye for now xx

Texture and Bling

Hello All,

This week I decided to have a play in my altered book with my new stencil girl stencil and some modelling and texture pastes. I am really happy with how the page is turning out but I have got to the point where I love it and don't know what to add that won't spoil it (if anything) So I have had to hit pause for a while until I decide. Here it is so far anyway.

I am really loving shiny and metallic mediums at the moment, like the silver texture paste, shimmer inks and metallic gel sticks that I have used on this page. Don't know why, just really enjoying the bling, I'm like a magpie :)

I realise I haven't done a new video lately so that is something I am looking to resolve very soon. I have just signed up to this months art swap so may create a video of that. This time the challenge is to create two art deco ATCs. Really excited by this one as I love making ATCs but also because over the last few months I have been involved in a dance show set in a 1920s speakeasy and have been surrounded by all things art deco and since I love vintage it is a perfect one for me :)

Me in my 1920s dance show costume

Bye for now! x

Just a quick picture

Hello All,

Just a quick piccy today to show the finished index card from the other day. I really like how the gold texture paste worked out and excited about the idea of creating a series of these and binding them into a memory book for my girls.

A spark of an idea.

Hello All,

The other day I was in the supermarket and ramdomly found some acrylic texture paste on offer. I didn't have a lot of time for art this week but managed to sit and have a play with the pastes and with a new stencilgirl stencil on a little index card. I love the stencil and the pastes turned out to be fab, particularly the gold one.

It is not completely finished, but here is a detail. In it I used an old painting my daughter had done as a baby and an image of a rocking chair and it got me thinking. I would really like to make a series of index cards based on the songs and stories that my children love and that I have always read/sang to them. I plan to make a video for each card and at the end perhaps bind them into a little memory journal for them to keep.

So watch this space, I will hopefully get these started soon!

Bye for now! x