EXCITING CHANGES TO COME!!!

Dick and I have made some big changes for the year to come!! We are downsizing to free us up to do the things we have always wanted to do ..... that is.... free to travel, spend more time together, follow His lead for new adventures, no more retail store after 27 years, more time with kids, but still MORE ART and probably some sewing classes for girls ..... that is a dream right now ..... but the ART won't stop, it will be here on the blog as soon as we finish remodeling our NEW/OLD smaller home about 20 miles away. SO STAY TUNED ... we'll be having a big sale and beautiful house and property SALE in the SUMMER!! MORE FREEDOM ON IT'S WAY!!! WooHoo!!! And THANKS for all your support the last twenty seven years in my shop!!!
Showing posts with label mixed media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mixed media. Show all posts

Saturday, March 27, 2010

WASH ON MY MIND?....or Washington...

When I finished the top collage of the big eyed girl....it was the night they were counting votes for the Health Care thing.....and then I was trying to figure out how to make her head bigger because it was too small, so on my art table were some map pages I had used in another collage and the colors were right ...and lo and behold "Washington" was the city with all those roads leading into and out of it....ha....I had to use it....and with the "Not so sure" look on her face....plus the advice of scripture...it became my FIRST "political" scripture piece...I just thought it was fun and so I called it "WASH....or Washington on My Mind". It also has that "Chintz" look....as well as the Mockingbird piece, from a Mockingbird in my peach tree a few weeks ago.....using designs from my old feed sack stash on both of them. The last piece is probably my favorite....it is the little feed sack dress my Mother made me when I was near a year old.....with the three little heart buttons on the back and her lovingly hand embroidered flowers on the front....the border is from from a piece of fabric that is in one of her scrap quilts and the frame is from 100 year old wood from a house made into a frame....it is big....this piece feels like my Mom's arms are around me! I especially needed that recently after a visit with my brother. This year I did art in too much of a rush....and I think it shows....but never the less there is at least some new things in the gallery, plus some individual zinnia paintings, and a baseball boy and girl on cardboard....but not time right now to get pictures....I had absolutely precious women yesterday and today...God really sends me his most precious girls.....we had fun and my heart is fuller!! Tomorrow, Sunday, I'm closed and going on a "date" with my husband to see the Blue Angels! A day of real rest ...no business......I hope....just give me a chair and a diet Dr. Pepper.....and my hat for the sunshine....(and maybe some ear plugs) I'm good for the day.....ENJOY!....and big BLESSINGS!

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

A NEW BANNER!!!

I took pictures today of my clean and Spring looking porch....I bought a bunch of flowers...(Gerberas and geraniums)....just couldn't wait for Spring....and the "Banner" above is one I manipulated for a new look for the blog ... the birdhouse is one I put a bunch of buttons on ...so it came out really colorful! My back porch is ready for some morning coffee time...and today I sat out there with my camera and coffee and a small grey bird with a pointed little feather hat (like a Cardinal but smaller) came and roosted right on my foot up on the railing and chirped and chirped!!! I was so surprised and delighted....it was like God saying ...."Yes, your porch is the place where you come to Me often...and therefore here is a special blessing!" This photo art above I manipulated for one of my new Cards (5x7) in the shop...is the same one but slightly different...have a BLESSED WEEK!! OH!....the painting I was talking about earlier is still waiting on my easel....it is not working out....yet!

Saturday, January 16, 2010

BACK TO SCHOOL...all of these were done on the computer thru Photoshop!!!

Done from a collage background page and a school photo of Peyton...two images merged on photoshop and manipulated so she came thru the background. A lesson on masking with photos provided by DJ Pettitt, copyrighted,....the sky was my photo. This whole thing has eight layers. This was my wedding dress photo with a photo of an old blue door on my porch, watering cans (representing the "watering" of my soul by the Words in the Bible I hold in my hand) and an old iron wheel and the house trim above with grunge edge and some brush lines.....It is called "Door to My Soul"...done on photoshop. From DJ's class, her butterfly, postcard, edging and floral photos for our class lesson we used, copyrighted and not for use. These were separate photos...five in all combined for this result done on photoshop. An interesting accident with a red filter....on the wedding dress, my photos, copyrighted....these are not collages, but done on the computer in photoshop. A butterfly from my photo on a previous blog post and a sky picture and the tree line from the back porch....then a brush made from my writing....six layers on photoshop. A paperdoll drawing, my hand writing and the background was made from a painting I recently did called the "Brite One".....five layers on photoshop. Round Top's Haw Creek Church and the back photo (manipulated) was taken on the evening recently of the blue moon at 6:30PM in Giddings, Tx....four layers on photoshop. Another try at brushes written and around the tree photo provided by DJ Pettitt for her class, copyrighted. Manipulated photo of Bird provided by DJ Pettitt, copyright, for class project. It is definitely a feeling of "Back to School"......I mean real studying, taking notes and practice until it's perfect!!! I'm talking about the "AWESOME", "FANTABULOUS" online class given by "the" none other than...DJ PETTITT. You should really check out her online classes found on her website. My son has told me for the eight years that I've used Photoshop fairly extensively with my art work ...that I NEEDED to learn "Layers". I know some of you are saying...."SHE HAS HAD PHOTOSHOP FOR EIGHT YEARS AND NEVER USED LAYERS!?!" Well, it's true and I love photo shop with or without layers......but it's like when you can live without chocolate because you've never had it.....but when you get a good taste of it...there's no turning back!!!! That is "LAYERS" for me! Tastes great!! So I will share here a few of my learning experiments....maybe not much...but wait til I get more time on my hands!!! The message on the "butterfly-zinnia" says it all for me! Blessings to you and Enjoy!!

Saturday, October 31, 2009

A FULL LIFE...

OK, I DID get this picture up, our mermaid Peyton! That's my girl! She loved her dress..... 16x20 in progress collage... like my house... unfinished! A woman on a mission!! That's how I feel .... but with the children in tow! That is a wicked little purse ... but it has some money in it .... YAY! My art studio mess .... I love the metal letters in the window ...A R T Mushed paint, rolled a pointed roller thing over it and wallah.... I saw a jar with a flower.....this was fun. Used oil pastels over acrylic ... new for me. Loving those colors from the pastels.... gotta have more! Finished page for the GUT ART JOURNAL.... An idea coming from one of the field trips .... these were old photos (copies) of us when young and more shapely!....or I guess I should say LESS shapely! My Mother sewed my "Vogue" pattern dress...my whole wedding with cake, reception and four bridesmaids cost $500.00! Yes, the dot is in the right place! Collaged tissue around him in his flight suit (1967).... this is NOT Michael Jackson, (with the great lips and black glove, chuckle) but it is my honey ....I want to pursue doing something with these..... it will come to me. A quick line drawing with color pencil wash from a woman on the TV.... quickly done. Good practice.... These two (of five) beautiful children (after church) are awaiting the finished home they will have .... little by little they work on it ....it was a condemned house that got to be saved and done for a family! All their saved money and efforts and prayer! Many of you know or remember Elizama, my sort of adopted child.... known her since she was nine (now 21) .... this is her precious baby girl, a happy child, and Mom and Dad are so proud of her! She laughs a lot! Here, she has on a dress that MY MOTHER made me from feed sacks in 1947!! I still have it.... my Mother embroidered little flowers on it. We had to try it out for a photo! These are some of Pilar's ART (age 6 to 7) she would do this all day long!! We need to loosen up like the kids do with their art! And YES, SHE is a WINNER! I tried to post a picture of my grand daughter in the Mermaid dress I made her and couldn't get it off the email...will try another way later.... she is my heart! Hello to all .... I know I have not posted in a while. Here are photos and art projects ( unfinished) of what is going on in my life at the moment. Just too much to write about. However the art of mine is from some of the reflections of field trips taken on the GUT ART CLASS.... I'm very behind ....but I have taken a ton of notes and have drawings that will go in my GUT ART JOURNAL......behind?..... well, because I was blessed with an opportunity to do nine pieces of work with a deadline of three weeks, which is ending tomorrow. I can't show them and will tell about it when it all comes together ..... since it is only my work for another group. So with that I have had my head swirling in the studio ....painting nights and sleeping days.... as there are no interruptions at night. And it is probably my body clock anyway! Sleeping from 7AM to 3PM, then doing regular life...and then painting from 7PM to 7AM in heaven ... I must say. This project came as a result of much prayer and soul searching and direction that the Lord wanted me to go in my life, plus a few other things. WELL, He is MAKING it happen .... WHY am I surprised!!? Also, you will see little precious children in my life, one of the Mom's lived with me for four months when she was fifteen (now 21).... the other children are from church and a favorite family.... and then Pilar's Art.... my little artist! I keep her in sketch pads and markers...and she will draw or paint all day long! We have four full note books (sketch pads ...9x12 thick from Wal-Mart) that she has filled. Some day when she is grown I will give them to her.... so they won't get thrown away. Any who..... as you can see, I am behind in my class, but live a FULL life! And thank goodness the Lord motivated my hubby to take care of me with food during all this!! ENJOY HIS BLESSINGS!!! I AM.....

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

FLAT STANLEY...comes to visit

These two are finished....I think...antique roses from my yard.... Opps, forgot to add the swirly stamping!....later... WHO is Flat Stanley? Well, he was sent to me by a fourth grader , Judith, at the LaGrange Intermediate School and he will be used to teach letter writing, map skills, history, and public speaking. Judith will give the class an oral report on Stanley's travels and adventures....while visiting with us. He is on vacation at our house, and ... well, I don't know how to break it to him but he is going to have to work with me a little here in the art studio before we can go to the Zoo on Saturday .... others will join us for a fun day. OKAY, so here is what Flat Stanley has been assisting me with in the studio .... he mostly watches and gives me hints as to where I've gone wrong! I'm used to that.... so here is what we did using some of my newly designed collage papers using photos from my yard or house elements like old fabrics....two are finished and two have just been started...Excuse me! ....what "I" did!!! Scoot over Stanley .... he's really a sweet boy. You can read about Stanley's adventures at http://flatstanley.enoreo.on.ca/ ... it is a great school project. Enjoy!!