new home.... {same journey}

is moving to a new home! yes..... i did say moving.

i have contemplated this for quite some time. patiently waiting and mulling this over.

you all know i am only techy enough to really be dangerous- but, this is where having a great friend comes in. (i will introduce you to my great friend today)

but you know the one i am talking about - the friend with skills. 

and good advice.

business sense.

and a fantastic creative eye.

someone you trust.

and so, today you will find a new website and at noon, a new blog post at my new home:

alteredstatesstudio.com

and i say farewell to this comfort zone that has fostered my art journey and brought new friends and followers.... and i ask you to take a small leap of faith with me.

thank you. thank you. thank you.

for the views and quick peeks. 

and for all of the comments. 

new home. same journey.

happy friday.

xo. kristin

serendipitous..... {the100dayproject- a video}

so earlier this week i posted that i was going to participate in the 100 day project- but, when i posted that accountability, i really hadn't thought it all the way through- as i really didn't have a plan as to what i was going to do.....

i was thinking maybe tea bags, coffee filters, and maybe just small squares of paper...... but, over Easter our youngest son and i were shopping and i purchased a package of timecards. my son of course, thought i was crazy! why in the world would you buy those? well to make into art of course- i just didn't realize at that time what destiny those timecards would have. 

so when i grabbed the package to head to the studio and start my 100 day project i noted this..... my package of timecards was 100 count.

as soon as i saw that i knew that a little serendipity had occurred, and i had my hands on the right substrate for this 100 day project.

check out this video of my first timecard....

serendipity.

timecards.

the100dayproject.

xo. kristin

calendar..... {april}

happy april. 

not sure where you are at, but here in midwest we are technically in spring- but if you were to visit....oh wait a minute- you probably couldn't get here due to a winter storm, which then made roads icy and difficult to navigate.

as we received another 6" of snow yesterday with wind making it bitterly cold and glazing sidewalks and roads.

 and this morning the temp is 5 degrees F; and with the windchill we feel like -7. 

seven below on april fourth.

where is spring?!

so her irritated, slightly crabby, stern look is exactly how i feel about april right now. 

xo. kristin

speak her actions..... {accountable-the100dayproject}

she would need to put it in writing and speak her action in order to be held accountable.

especially because life was busy. 

and she was putting extra pressure on herself to create (which leads to nothing. and when i say nothing....that is what she is able to create when she thinks she has to create to sell and not just make for herself).

she is mildly lost at this moment.

and so, she will speak her action and commit to doing the100dayproject.

xo. kristin

fingerprints....

and she would leave her fingerprints on anything.

and everything. 

a little dna.

left behind as a secret and part of her visual story. 

to be shared with those looking, watching.

happy friday. 

xo. kristin

resonate.....

sometimes you need to be willing to take work apart to get to something better. 

had worked on this coffee filter; even hand sewing on this vintage picture- only to rip apart.

i have a few things in the works and this theme is resonating throughout.

taking the good things, and leaving the rest behind to get to something better.

working hard to get to the next steps.....

stay tuned. big things coming.

happy wednesday.

xo. kristin

courage.... {show up}

creativity takes courage- Henri Matisse

i have still been thinking about the class i taught recently and how truthful this statement really is. 

all those people had huge courage to try new things. new concepts. new colors. new techniques.

courage to collage. to paint over. to write on.

today i encourage you to try something new. glue something down that you wouldn't have used. spray some ink on that.... and if you can, sew on something- even some little hand sewing.

find your courage. show up in your space. just create.

xo. kristin

tgif....

tgif.....

life has been busy. waiting for a moment of calm to feel the paint on my fingers and use my small stabilo pencil to draw into the wet paint.

move it. smear it. tone it.

it is a bit dull; and yet can and will be sharpened. 

again.

happy friday. 

xo. kristin

coffee filter..... {layered}

when the stencil and colors are good.

happiness.

coffee filter. stenciled. painted. stamped.

goodness.

happy wednesday.

xo. kristin

coffee filter..... {painted}

had a great time procrastinating and painting up a coffee filter.

stenciled, painted, wrote on, collaged, and even a little fabric and sewing.

happy friday. 

xo. kristin

taming the colorful mess..... {stenciled}

when the colorful, playful painting fun has gotten the best of you.... use a good stencil and tame that page. 

tamed.

xo. kristin

journal..... {love}

gesso'd, collaged, stamped, painted, scribbled.

art journal love.

happy monday. 

xo. kristin

layered & stenciled

collage layers, acrylic paint, hi flow acrylics, and white paint through a stencil

happy saturday.

xo. kristin

mini..... {polka dot goodness}

playing in my mini art journal that i made with found papers in my studio. this particular page happened to be a bit too thin, and managed to stick to the next page.

the poor thing tore of course, when i tried to separate the pages.

but, i am perfectly ok with that. 

it is what is. 

and it is part of this book's charm.

happy wednesday.

xo. kristin

tea tag..... {mixed media}

small tea tag. washi tape. ink. acrylic paint.

xo. kristin

march.... {month clip}

march.....

• spring
• shamrock shakes
• birthday month

and tgif today.

xo. kristin

tagged.... {stencillove}

i made these tags using the woodland collection art pops card and traci bautista new stencil with some payne's grey acrylic paint and a little sewing with sari ribbon.

on this bottom one i also used RobenMarie's inked rubber stamp and a woodland collection mini circle sticker on my art pop.

mini..... {fido}

working in my mini art journal yesterday lead me to fido.

i made this art journal with "found" papers within my studio and i love the map image at the bottom of the paper and how the previous page shows as well. that is the far left edge- is actually the previous page.

the red/ pink strip is actually artpop tape (woodland collection) available at paperbag studios. 

the stamp at the top of the page is the inked rubber stamp set.

happy monday. 

xo. kristin

tgif.... {little video- cigar box}

painted up some colorful goodness on a cigar box for someone special.

loved the new stencils from StencilGirl.

tgif.

xo. kristin

black and white..... {balance}

latest work on canvas..... at least the second (maybe third) rendition. 

was really checking my painting values and balance.

but totally feeling like life balance is off right now. too much due all at the same time. 

hoping to find my own balance.

xo. kristin

studio composition

studio finds..... composition.

bits. 

loved and used. 

saved for just the right time.

xo. kristin

mini.....

tgif.

happy friday.

xo. kristin

proof that anything can be saved....

every have one of those days when your mood is just scribbles?...... this was how i felt on monday. just woke up on the wrong side of the bed and couldn't get out of my own way......

but, that night i went to the studio again and looked at that card and thought, you know- what this needs is a good stencil. 

and poof.

proof that anything can be saved with a good stencil and some paint. even the very, very overworked.

need a good stencil? be sure to check out stencilgirl. 

love the peeks of color and the scribbles showing through. 

(rolled payne's grey over my stencil)

happy valentine's day!

xxxxxoooo. kristin

Stitched up..... {colorlust}

when all else fails, i go to my favorite go-to colors- quin nickel azo gold and payne's grey.

i am going to be honest.... the first card i made, i worked almost to death (the poor thing). every time i thought, "oh this looks kinda cute"- i put more paint on it, or did something else which lead to "oh- here is the ugly stage."

but, it went to the ugly stage 2 or 3 times, and then, just never came out of it- leading me to make this card.

simple. favorites. with a little stitching.

xo. kristin

tgif....... {found papers}

playing in my mini art journal with found papers and hi flow acrylics. 

my mom always says she find the best stuff on the floor of my studio. these found papers weren't necessarily on the floor, but also not in my usual stash either.

tgif.

xo. kristin

mini art journal..... {pocket journal}

Rae Missigman has a new class available called Pocket Journals.

i am already doubting my art journal making abilities.....despite the great lessons provided by Rae.

less water when i paint- that may be helpful; but the class was excellent and will walk you through each step.

i still need to add my outer cover yet, but made loved choosing all the fun papers to use.

loving my inner fabrick cover and the first page peeking out and around that cover. 

happy hump day.

xo. kristin

samples..... {teaching}

made up some samples for the class i will be teaching coming up in march. 

information about the class and how to register: click here.

i promise it will be a good time.

happy monday.....

xo. kristin

life drawing.... {ghost image}

went to life drawing last night..... i used pencil and pastels for one of my longer positioned first image.

this ghost image is the happy accident that resulted when i drew on the back side and the pastels transferring to the next page. this is probably my best work of the night. lol....

this is how i always feel when i go to life drawing; although last night was a smaller group so not quite as intimidating. what i have to remind myself is not to judge myself while i am there.

especially after looking at everyone's else work.....they like to do that- you know, leave their best drawing out for others to enjoy. 

just so you all know- i normally really like my work the next day.

happy friday.

xo. kristin

redo..... {charmer}

i had been looking at some of the artists that inspire me and was overwhelmed with the need to get to the studio.....

monday night, i made it to the studio to try my hand with what had become a complete obsession in my head; now finally, out on paper.

it is a charmer.

here is a quick view video:

happy hump day.

xo. kristin

planner art..... {she doodles}

when i travel it is so hard being a mixed media artist, as you can never bring enough art supplies; and then, there are the travel restrictions on what you can bring and the size....

so when i travel, i only take a few things which pushes me outside of my comfort zone and forces me to use different things to create.

the initial drawing was also drawn with my eyes closed; as long as i am pushing......may as well push a little more.....

happy monday.

xo. kristin

ledgers..... {1800's}

i had attended the local art meeting at the county historical center and could hardly focus on the meeting with these 1800's ledgers sitting on a shelf directly behind me....

the penmanship was outstanding as only 1800's penmanship can be.

was thinking i wanted to smuggle a couple of those ledgers out; i should have brought a big purse. (kidding!!.... i think....)

tgif.

xo. kristin

to keep or not to keep

had to make another card for a friend, and i loved how this one turned out- to the point that i considered keeping it....

but, in the cosmic scheme of karma, if you love something set it free (right?....)

and so, all packaged up and ready to mail out today.....

happy hump day. 

xo. kristin

transformed.....{stencil}

couldn't wait to use my new Soulful Scribbles mini stencils from Traci Bautista....(posted to my youtube channel)

i grabbed a Woodland Artpops card- rubbed a little smidge of my gold craft paint and then rolled payne's grey through my stencil onto the artpops card.....

total happiness.

and my mom came and hung out for a bit in the studio yesterday.....

do you snap?..... find me- kristin peterson (alteredstatesstudio)

happy monday.

xo. kristin

teabag art..... {similar fashion}

you and i.......

.......similar fashion.

listed in my etsy store

tgif.

xo. kristin

altered calendar....

feeling deep withdrawal for paint on my fingers and my pencils carving into my wet paint after the long weekend of stripping wallpaper and no studio time.

.....finally made it to the studio last night. 

i had purchased a calendar at Target this last week (for a dollar!! in the first section of stuff they always have by the front entrance) and was hoping to be able to alter it.....

and i am happy to say- it is working like a charm.

a little gesso, some paint, an art sticker tape, and stamping.....

i am working on editing a video to show you how i am altering the calendar..... coming soon.

xo. kristin

sticker..... {work}

when i cut out the sticker on the packaging and bring it to work.....

do you know Mystele? i just love her work. 

her girls are so whimsical, magical..... 

i hung this above my desk so when i look up, i see this; and it brings me a moment of artful magic.

happy monday.

xo. kristin

valentines..... {artpops}

wanna know how i made this adorable valentines? click here to watch my video and be sure to subscribe to my channel. 

only techy enough to be dangerous here..... but, did manage to figure out the edits!! :)

tgif.

happy weekend.

xo. kristin

charming challenge

are you participating in Roben-Marie's charming challenge?.... she is doing an affirmation alphabet that she turned into charms. 

these are a couple of charms i have made so far..... the round is a metal circle key label and the small square below is an inch by inch mini canvas.

sometimes you have to be brave to come to the studio and work even if you are not inspired; or you have to be brave to post your work on social media (heaven knows my style is not everyone's style).

but, participating in the art community is worth it. i have met so many art friends over this art journey that makes it worth it all..... you are my community that means so much to me. 

• views on the blog 
• comments about the blog post
• just being able to share my work (and of course.... only the good stuff- haha! the rest goes under the counter to be gesso'd and used again and we are not going to talk about that mountain....)

love the little stitching on the canvas and the little paperdoll.

here is to you- my community.

xo. kristin

it is good to be the king..... {paperdolls}

these paperdolls are like the kings of the mountain in the corner of my studio....

this corner tends to be wide and deep..... (a little creative chaos is good for the soul- creativity doesn't always come from having everything, but rather limitations)

goodness....

happy monday.

xo. kristin

teabag art....... {paperdoll}

i have been working on teabags and so loving my Tim Holtz paperdolls i purchased at Michael's.....

and totally made myself laugh when i finished this one and went to photograph it, as it looks like the words might say, "help me." 

it may have been a subliminal message after the holidays and no studio time.....help me. i may need therapy..... oh wait a minute..... i am good. 

art is therapy.

happy thursday.

xo. kristin

contemplating.... {2018}

still contemplating 2018......

cannot seem to land on any one word; but, i do know this.....

• stay true to you 
• do good work (whatever that is)
• push your boundaries- no personal growth was ever found within safety

so here is to 2018 and all that it will bring.

xo. kristin