Making A Plain Box Pretty… Are You Creating Enough?

Hello Friends, I hope you are having a wonderful creative day… Well you know, I live by the ocean and I am enjoying every minute of it here.  My inspiration comes a lot from the sea and the magical & whimsical… I enjoy lots of color and most of all I enjoy sharing.  I hope this little tutorial sparks inspiration and moves your creative soul to change something and make it pretty. 

Now this is a cheese box and I'm thinking this was not ever meant to paint a picture on, right? Well, that's the most fun and where I get most of my kicks.  Seeing a plain wooden box, or anything that just sits there without color, go from ordinary to a piece of artwork is just so inspiring to me, my heart starts to jump for joy when I see the transformation start to happen…  I would love you to Challenge yourself to make something plain into something colorful and inspiring… 

I try to add a lot of color and whimsy in my life to bring out my true spirit, which I think is very colorful and needs to be free and create most of my waking hours.  If I'm not physically creating something I am mentally creating all the time.  There is always something that can inspire me in an instant, and bring me into dream land where I imagine what I will create next or add to my list, which I have an ongoing one in my head and in my daily journal…

Well, enough of me… I would like to hear from you and what inspires you and if you create enough.  What I mean by that is…Are you taking enough time in your life to create? Ask yourself that question and see what your answer is, because only you can change that.  If you're not creating enough then start right now, even if it means taking a little journal to work or when you're having a morning coffee, start sketching or playing with color.  Get yourself a coloring book if don't think you can draw, (which I think every one can, but that's ok if you think you can't), and crayons and go for it at lunch time, or sitting in a doctors office, or where ever you find yourself during the day.  Don't let time pass you by without creating or playing with color.

Here are some pictures of the cheese box from start to finish and then there is the video… 

I had purchased two of them at an auction in Raleigh NC for $12 and just used this one as a ribbon keeper, but always thinking I would do something fun with it eventually, so now I have… Enjoy my friends… 💜💜💜

I hope love surrounds you always… XO

Mixed Media Painting - Dorothy - #WizardOfOzArt

Mixed Media Tutorial - Hanging Gypsy Beach Houses

Hello Friends!

I would like to share with you a fun project that you can do with friends and family this summer. These are so easy to make and lots of fun too.  You don't need much, just polymer clay and any thing you have hanging around in your craft room, and of course your imagination.  This is a great way to use up some of your older supplies to make room for new goodies.  

The ones in my video are made with Polymer Clay, DecoArt Acrylic Paints, Beads, Wire, Fishing Line, and Viva Gold Accents. What I wanted to do was use up some of my older tiles I had made with polymer clay and use up the last of my white clay so I can now go buy more… I had a little bit left from other projects and I really needed to use it up before it dried up. 

I hope I can inspire you to make these with friends, and I know the kiddies will enjoy this too.

If you have a little house cookie cutter you could use that too so the kids don't have to mess around with sharp blades, or you can cut them out and bake them and have the houses ready to decorate.  The fun is in the decorating anyway and there are so many cool things they can do with these.  My next little houses will be collaged with fun papers and some of my artwork.  How does that sound?

 I would love for you to make some of these and share yours with me… I always enjoy seeing your art and sharing with you.  

Get Ready For My Summer Workshops Sale

Hello Friends!  

Here is my get ready for "Summer Workshop Sale" with some fun inexpensive workshops… I love the beautiful weather and what better way to celebrate this.  I'm so excited about creating in the beautiful weather down by the sea here in Florida.  My creativity soars and I love sharing my art with you, so I wanted to make it more affordable for you to join me in my workshops this summer.  Let's spend the summer together… it will be like having private play dates. All of my workshops are forever and downloadable, so you can create at your own pace.  You can watch them on your phone, pad or computer, etc.  

I have lowered all my workshop prices for you… there are 4 full workshops ( Whimsical Animals, The Gypsy Pirate, Summer Time Fun and The Owl & The Gypsy), for just $19.99 and 2 free workshops (Shade Hangers & No Boundaries), plus I have lowered the prices on my "Come Play With Me" year long journaling workshop, and "My Lovely Faces" workshop, and don't forget my "Memory Journaling Workshop" for only $10.00. They are all fun, and full workshops with me. 

I hope you will come and join me this summer for a fun filled creative journey. Take a little journey over to my school Rita Marie Art and check out each workshop there. I have a little intro for each so you can see a bit about what we will be creating together.  Life is too short not to live your artist dream, we all are artists in our souls, we just need to be inspired and I truly believe I can help you find your creative soul… Love to you! xo 

My School Link

Boho Lantern Makeover Tutorial- Mixed Media

Wood Pallet Painting With DecoArt Patio Paint

I thought I would share a fun project that is really easy.  My husband had this wood pallet hanging around and I asked him if he needed it…"no he said"… Well of course I had already been thinking what fun it would be to transform this wooden pallet into something cool.  I started painting it and thinking about flowers, then I started splashing paint all over it and thought maybe I wanted to do something more to do with the beach. I decided to just get the black paint and a small brush and start drawing, and these three beach castles/cabanas appeared.  I thought how fun, so then I had to add the water and the little fish, and of course an octopus (my fav)… No Mermaid on this one but you never know… I have really been in a mermaid mood lately and have so many ideas it's just crazy.  But for now I really am loving this very child like playful painting.  I'm hoping my grandkids will get a kick out of it too. 

I used all DecoArt Patio Paint, and will be coating this with a protective sealer, I just haven't decided yet what I will use. I expect it will probably stay outside by the pool or maybe outside my studio door.  I was thinking I could use it to hang my papers to dry or put legs on it and make a table?

Well, what ever I decide to do with it I will keep you updated… It's always fun to share and inspire others and I hope you will do the same… 

This is a fun feel good project that doesn't really required much thought, just free your imagination like when you were a child, and go for it… 

Happy Creating… Love to you! 

Mixed Media Cork Board & Bread Box Transformations

If you have an old cork, chalk or white board that needs a lift here is a fun little video to inspire you with colors… The bread box is totally cool too…

This was such a fun project and you can use what up have on hand… I used all DecoArt/Americana Paints and Stencils… This is a great way to take something that is just so drab and make it lovely and also functional for your studio…  I hope you find some inspiration in these projects, 

Keep creating and inspiring others… xo