3rd Annual Art Sisters Retreat - Part 1

It's been three years since Jackie invited three strangers to her home to create art. We knew each other online but never met in person. I had friends asking tons of questions like this one, why would you go meet someone from online?  In truth you never know who anyone is online but I love their art how could they be so bad, right? Well, I found a loving second family in my art sisters and wouldn't give them up for the world. 

Jackie and her husband, Riley, spoil us rotten with fresh vegetables from their garden, delicious soup, breads, fruit, etc. 

You don't want for anything even our home away from home was nice and comfy. Our home this year was a bigger. So roomy and comfy especially my bed. I was worried because of my bad back but my bed was perfect! 

Jackie and Riley's property is gorgeous and inviting. Although the end of summer flowers there were still some gorgeous ones around. Natures art and a fairy garden too.

It's a magical place. Jackie is even a bird whisperer. It hit her window and with her magic got it to fly again.

There were even baby birds in a tomato plant too. 

She even has turkeys and they have a little bicycle. Maybe they use it for exercise!!!! 

I drive to Jackie's which is about six hours. I wish I was closer!! So the first afternoon we're just playing in our art journals. Here are few of my pages using new TCW  summer stencils, acrylic paints and Distress Oxide Inks. 

I will say they are all enablers and most of these journal pages were created with stencils and oxide inks. I must buy them now.

We all bring supplies to share plus a project to teach. Jackie shares so much as you can see by the piles on the her tables.

Chum loves his momma and loves to be with the girls. Guarding us and all our supplies!

If you stayed this far I'm thrilled and thank you!!! I'll have more on the art retreat in a few more posts.

Thank you so much for stopping by!!! I can't wait to show you  more about the 3rd Annual Art Sisters Retreat!

Wait until you see one of many projects we created!!!!

Wild Bloom in Black and White

I created these two canvases for a design team post for The Crafters Workshop. I'm loving black and white right now.

 

These are 8x8 cradled wood boards. I'm loving the hard boards because I find sometimes the canvas stretches out or if I want a clean stamped image on a canvas I have to stamp it on tissue paper first then add it to the canvas.

 

You can see how I created them by clicking HERE!

 

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Don't forget to check out all the other design team projects for The Crafters Workshop while you're there.

BEAUTY, WONDER AND AWE - CANNA LILIES

Hi Everyone!

Today I'm showing your one of The Crafters Workshop new 2017 Summer Stencils called Canna Lilies designed by Carmen Medlin. It is one of my favorites this summer.

My favorite substrate to use is Yupo. It's a nice smooth surface and it also has its challenges too.  First I added the stencil to the Yupo with acrylic paints.

 

 

 

 

I continued to add the stencil to the Yupo. I used both the 12x12 and 6x6 size. I also flipped the stencil and used the other size so the flowers are going in different directions.

 

 

 

Here is a close up of all the layers.

 

 

I dropped a stamp on it which left a black mark. With the Spring time colors it was hard to cover up so I decided to had a few words with black archival inks.

 

 

 

 

This was my Design Team Post on August 1. You can see it here.

 

 

The Crafter’s Workshop provided me with stencils and mediums to create this project.

The opinions I share are solely my own because I do love to use them.

August was also the start of a new Design Team. Head on over by clicking the link below to see what they've created. Don't forget to leave them a comment!! 

 

The Crafters Workshop Blog

 

The new 2017 Summer stencils will be available by the end of August.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Travels in May: South Carolina

Hi Everyone

In May I traveled to South Carolina to see my goddaughter, Cassidy.  We both love photography and we took off for a day to take pictures.  We decided to go to the Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Gardens.  Here are a few pictures of flowers in the gardens. I have tons so I'll be sharing them will you in a couple of posts.

That's it for now. I hope you enjoyed them.
I'll be off on new travels soon so look out for another finding art post!

If you love these pictures, please check out Cassidy's blog and see hers.

Cassidy Erin Photography

Thanks so much for stopping by!

PLANNERS, Do you use one?

Hi Everyone!

Planners are so popular right now. For years I used planners then one day I switched to a hard covered notebook and just wrote down what I needed to do plus notes, art ideas, etc.

 

Then one day I felt completely overwhelmed with lists, planners, calendars, notes, etc. I loved that everything was in one spot but I wasn't getting anything done. I stopped cold turkey. If I really needed to remember an appointment/event, I just wrote it on the family calendar on the fridge.

 

With cell phones I tried using the calendar or an app but I never kept up with it. I'm not one to have my cell phone in my hand at all times. I have better things to do.

 

This year I started using a Hobonichi Techo Planner (1 page/day). It reminds me of a Bullet Journal. I love the idea of a Bullet Journal but it wasn't the right one for me until I found this one (Amazon). They are not cheap but for me worth the money because its the perfect one for me.

 

 

As you can tell it's not very big and I can throw it in my bag. You can buy planner covers for it but it will just add to the size.

 

The planner starts a yearly calendar for 2017 and 2018

 

 

A yearly index which I use for birthdays. My goal was to make a card for everyone's birthday. That happened once! I use a green tab to bookmark these pages.

 

 

A monthly calendar - I add my vacations and dates for design team posts. It also has free space on the left for any notes. Bookmark is Orange for calendar pages.

 

 

Before each month is a lined page for adding monthly goals, events, or notes.  I add two goals to complete by the end of the month.

 

 

Daily Pages - Pink Bookmark. The bookmarks are post-it notes so I can move them.  As for overwhelming lists, I only write down three items. The first item is always the gym. I realized that I don't have to write down a huge list. I do have a routine for things at home and I don't feel I need to write those down.  Once realizing that my lists aren't that big.

 

 

Also, I'm not consistent with daily art challenges. I start, get bored or just forget to do it. I want to do them but I never finish. So I challenged myself to write about my day even if it's only one line. So far, except for a few vacation days, I've been keeping with the challenge.

 

 

Each day there are quotes at the bottom of the pages.

 

 

A few dotted pages. I use these for light bulb moments when I think of an art idea and I have to write it down.

 

 

International Size Charts and Conversion Tables.

 



Japanese Plants and Animals by Season and A Guide to Japanese Tea.

 



After these pages are International Country Codes, National Holidays.  All these extra pages are interesting but I would love more dotted pages.

 

I did learn a few things about myself:

I like to write things down and I find I like to write in cursive.

Lists stress me out especially if they are long.
When I'm very overwhelmed I stop getting things done.

I don't have to put everything I have to do in my life on a list.

I still need a planner and it doesn't have to be pretty.

There are no rules.

 

Let me know what planners you use or why you don't use one. I would love to know.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by!