Happy Thoughts Coming Your Way!

 

 I am sure we all want to get the most out of our stamps. That's why I decided to use this Christmas set to make a happy everyday card. This way you can see it's versatility!

So here is my happy card. Everyone needs to be cheered up once in awhile.

The stamps are from two different sets that are offered by Flourishes...

Glory to God

and

Happy Thoughts

I randomed stamped the background here and there with the flower from Glory to God, using Versamark Ink, then clear embossed it. I then rubbed ink all the card face using Old Paper Distress Ink.

I repeated this process two more times, using darker inks as I went. I used Crushed Olive and then stamped with Peacock Feathers Distress Inks. Using a baby wipe, I removed any ink residue from the embosses images.

I cut a piece of vellum, using Flourishes, "Perfectly Pierced Classic Hourglass Die Set."

I stamped the two mirror image flowers from the Christmas set onto the Vellum with Olive CTMH ink. I also used CTMH black ink to stamp the sentiment from the Happy Thoughts set.

I love brads, even though they have been around forever! Gold cardstock was used to mat the background.  Another neat trick I just love using is to melt ribbon to give it an aged look. I melted this organza ribbon with my heat tool and attached it with glue dots.

Finally, a tiny bit of gold Stickles was used to speckle the background, along with some

metallic gold oil pastels, which I rubbed around some of the flower images.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Catch The Bug Challenge - time for color

Sasayaki Glitter Challenge - use a die cut

Be very sure to follow Flourisheslc.com, as my stamp sets will be released later in September!

Reference Photo 2 Ways

While on a field trip with our local pastel group,

I took some photo references. I was hoping

 to get at least one I would love...and I did!

It turned out that I had a couple of opportunities to

put this picture to use. I don't know...I guess it's 

that one big flower that got me.

First, I did an alcohol marker drawing.

 I drew the Coreopsis with a fine tipped marker.

I then began the process of coloring it 

with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers, 

using my favorite shading and texturing techniques.

 Here is the final piece.

THEN

I needed to finish a piece for the upcoming pastel show, "Wings and Wildflowers". 

Using the same reference, I did a 13 x 23 inch piece on pastel paper. 

I began with the basic background and lights,

using some of my harder soft pastels... 

then, when I added some darks, the lights began to pop.

My finished piece.

Thanks for looking...now go create something that makes YOU happy:

A drawing

A painting

A cake

A pot of soup...

and Enjoy the process.

Teenie Ballerini

I have committed to two pastel paintings for the upcoming

Pastel Society of Central Florida's Winter Show.

 

This is my first painting for the show.

 

I have been in love with this photo ever since my daughter sent it to me.

 It's my granddaughter, Nora Kate, climbing some stairs at a local college.

 

I used Rembrandt Soft Pastels on some paper my friend, Wendy gave me.

She has been such an encouragement.

 



 

My wonderful husband, George has allowed me to adopt one of our spare rooms

as a studio.  It's an organized mess, but to me it's heaven. It's my own playroom!

 

 

Finished and framed, ready for the show.

Thanks to my friends Kathy and Mike for the beautiful mats and frames they gave me. This set up worked perfectly for my, "Teenie Ballerini."

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

Crisp Apple Strudel

 

 

Our local theatre group is doing a production of,

 

The Sound of Music.

 

To celebrate the event, our center for the arts is having an exhibit of artist's interpretations of one of the lines from the song, "My Favorite Things".

 

I chose, "Crisp Apple Strudel".

 

Being fairly new to soft pastels, I only had a collection of odds and ends from the art cabinet in our art room here in the community where I live.  They were dirty and quite hard, actually.

 

However, I managed to come away with a satisfactory painting.

 

I have since ordered myself some Rembrandt Soft Pastels.  They are not the softest, but to begin, I want to stay with a more hard soft pastel...I don't want to make mud.

 

So today I have to wire this framed work for hanging and get it down to the center. It will hang in the collection for two months.

Update...here I am with my painting. at the Reception.  I finally got to see it hanging up!

 

 

Enjoy your day, and until we meet again,

 

 



More Pastels

 

I am in love...with pastels.

 

And George, of course!

 

So much color, so easily. 

 

This is what it looked like the week before, when I was halfway through...

 

 

Going from dark to light...then two hours later, DONE!

 

 

Being the perfectionist that I am, I probably would have fussed with this a bit more, but time restraints of the class brought an end to it.

 

Please leave me a comment...your thoughts are an important part of my process.

 

Until next time,

 

 



A New Medium for Me...Pastels!

I took a class with a wonderful lady named Diane Oliva.  My friend Wendy said she would never take a class with anyone but Diane. 

 

Diane was very direct, which I appreciate. She never touched my art, which I also liked...teachers should be hands off...unless given permission. After all...it's my art, not theirs!

 

Here is what I ended up with. Eh...but I'm a newbie, so that's my excuse!

 

I love the way we started with the background and with the darks.

So different from Watercolor!

 

Until next time,