staying focused....

as april is winding down i find myself having a somewhat difficult time staying focused. our daughter is a senior and will graduate, so our to-do list is big {okay let's just say huge}....... the small easy things are getting done, but, some are big and much more time consuming to get done like putting in a fire pit patio and cleaning out the garage. there are some moments of clarity in all of this and i find that i have to grab those quickly and hold on.

and, not to mention that constant pull to the studio....the weekends for sure, are usually time for me to spend creating. and not that i have not been creating....i have been working on our daughter's graduation cards; but sometimes i become overwhelmed with an idea and must start something else....pulling me away from the cards i need to finish. the pictures today are my newest painting- which came as an overwhelming must-get-this-onto-canvas now.......and i love it. the messages and words written and the fine, quirky details.

will need to stay focused and find vigilant clarity for this next month as i don't want to miss any details so they can be enjoyed.

grad invites & prom 2015

it is quickly becoming that time of the year for seniors to graduate and of course, their graduation parties. our party is planned for memorial day weekend- so i need to get our paper invites out (already posted to FB for the kids).

 i worked yesterday afternoon until i ran out of spray ink....my fingers are not normally hot pink. this pink is really hardy and very stubborn at coming off. still a little pink this morning.

stacking up my cards as i work through my process......

here is where the pink fingers came into the picture as i was holding the stencil for this step.

my next step will be the "tk" circles....

this is my sample for this year......

and, we had prom this past weekend - i just have to share a few pics.....here is TK with her date.

some of her best friends and a little leg....

this was the whole group...

and this is 3/4 of our girls 4x2 relay- these three are all seniors and have been running together since their 9th grade year.....it will be a sad day when our track season is done- these girls have been such good leaders for the younger girls.

hope your weekend was a fun.....what did you do?

gelli printing-another art journal page

when i was playing for the DLP challenge, i can hardly only do one page- so while i was playing in my bigger art journal- i was also printing off the second image from the gelli plate and stencils onto one of my smaller art journal i keep.

i loved the colors of this "leftovers" page and really like the stamping  i did on this page to finish it off.

do you have big plans this weekend? starting with today we will be running until sunday with track, college registration, and PROM..... i am going to get my shoes laced up!!

happy thursday!

#DLP {gelli plate printing}

this year especially with a senior graduating soon....life has been very busy and hectic; but, i am sneaking time and stealing moments in my studio space as this spring allows.

the last DLP challenge was to use the gelli plate while exploring paint and inks; and who can put that tool down?! i love mine and use it all the time for almost any project from tags and my art journal, to cards and as a paint palette.

here are a couple more pics my pages...

layered goodness of paint and stencils,spray inks, stabilo pencil and collage papers to finish off this journal pages.

and did you hear?.....Rae Missigman has stencils?!.....take a look here and get yours!

journaled {art journaled}

i had gotten some new supplies recently and wanted to take them down to my studio. my plan was simply to put away, but, as soon as i stepped in the space.... i was drawn to my working area and grabbed my art journal to try out some of my new supplies.

the products i had gotten were the Tim Holtz's distressed spray inks; the blue above is the mermaid lagoon that is running down this right side of the page. i did use an acrylic paint up in the very corner but the part that is running the page is the spray ink. 

the other inks i had purchased were the abandoned coral and cracked pistachio. the coral is a small circle of orange on the bottom of the left page. below is my entire page. the spray inks i purchased can be bought at Blue Twig Studio. Deb will be happy to help you!!

happy wednesday!

girls {collaged}

i have been patiently waiting for these girls to arrive to the designated locations before posting because i did not want to spoil any surprises for the recipients. and this weekend i was able to see that the girls had arrived.

so excited to be able to show you these collaged girls.....take a peek.

each girl has wings- with the first pic i did a transfer technique to transfer her wings and then went back into the wings with a pen to add some additional details and a little color; the other wing i used scrapbook paper and cut out my shape.

the girl images are from my vintage 1956 catalog. i did not use the original, but, made a copy and used that in my collaged pieces.

our theme was supposed to be collage...i did have to sneak some paint and stamping into each; but, was really pleased with my selections of collage papers i used for each one. here is each page....

happy monday!

no control- bookmarks

i have decided these are fun, easy, and cute....and i cannot seem to stop making these bookmarks....just wanna make these cuties....

yep....no stopping....

no control....

happy wednesday!

art journal- warm up

i did find just a few moments on saturday in the studio this past weekend, even with the holiday. i love walking into my space to find my paint brushes and pens and pencils all lined up waiting for me.

i worked in an art journal to get warmed up and then, on a couple things that were due. i had gotten a new turquoise paint that i am really loving.....

for this journal page, i used a little acrylic paint and my spray inks and of course, stencils.

i had gesso'd the pages before i began and i love the variation of the paint and inks when it sits on the gesso and then finds just paper. if you have not experimented with this- you should really play in a journal with gesso and how it affects your work and the products that you use.

happy monday!

stolen moment

been a very busy week and yesterday i would have loved to have thought my whole day was a prank, but, unfortunately it was not.....(long day...) so i am super glad this morning that it is thursday and almost the weekend.

i had to go to the studio for some much needed art therapy last night to do a little sewing and put a little paint down into an art journal.

i had made up the backgrounds of these bookmarks last weekend during the local home show; but, i can't ever seem to just leave them at that....they have to have a pass through the sewing machine and a little sewing.

i have a few more things due by saturday so i will have to find a few more moments; but, as long as it is in the studio- it is all good.

happy thursday!